“Controlled” smoker finally accepts counselling

A Bridgetown magistrate was taken aback today when an accused declared he had control over his marijuana smoking habit even though he admitted using the illegal drug twice daily.

District “A” Criminal Court No. 1 Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant told Hunte Street, Baxter’s Road salesman Muaz Aiyub Hans she could not understand how smoking marijuana twice per day could amount to being in control.

Hans, 26, made the statement while responding to the magistrate who had asked him if he thought he needed drug counselling.

Moments before, he had pleaded guilty to possessing $5 worth of cannabis on March 19, 2020 and also receiving a stolen bicycle knowing or believing it to have been stolen.

Hans explained to the court that he used to smoke more frequently.

“I used to smoke after every time I eat something,” the salesman said, adding that he was not at the stage now where he needed counselling.

However, after some prompting from Magistrate Cuffy-Sargeant, he gave in to the idea of counselling and was subsequently interviewed by a probation officer who was stationed in the court.

According to the evidence before the court, on February 12, 2020, Sajid Patel reported to law enforcement officers that someone had stolen his bicycle valued at $350.

The court heard that a Winston King was arrested and charged with the offence, but told the police he sold the bicycle to an Indian man from Baxter’s Road for cocaine “rocks”.

The evidence revealed that while police were on mobile patrol they saw Hans, confronted him about the theft of the bicycle and later charged him.

Initially the court was told that Hans was a first-time offender but some digging by the prosecution team uncovered a previous conviction for which some $650 in court costs remained unsettled. The magistrate ruled that she would pause any further consideration of the current case until Hans honoured the outstanding debt to the court. It was settled.

Magistrate Cuffy-Sargeant then ordered a