When a group of motorcyclists saw police on Jackman’s Road last Sunday they quickly turned around and rode away.
However, prosecutor Sergeant Theodore McClean said 24-year-old Shaquille Ramone Rayside, of 3rd Avenue Grazettes St Michael who was among the group, on May 10, was not so lucky and was apprehended.
Rayside allegedly told police at the time “I does drag behind NCC on the pasture, only come to get air from the gas station.”
As lawmen conducted their investigations it was discovered that Rayside had no insurance, number plates, nor driver’s licence and the motorcycle was not registered.
He was charged with the traffic offences. Rayside was also charged that he contravened Paragraph 1 of the Emergency Management COVID-19 Curfew No. 4 Directive as he could not give police a reasonable explanation for being on the road at 5:40 p.m. when there was a national directive in place.
Rayside pleaded guilty to all the charges before Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes.
The first time offender explained that he was not with the group of men that police spoke about. “I was not riding with the people they say. Dem men were going up and I was going down. I don’t know where they come from.”
“I went to the gas station. That’s where they saw me going from, Jackman’s gas station,” he added.
Chief Magistrate Weekes asked Rayside what would have happened if he had found himself in an accident and knocked down someone when he had no insurance.
“We the taxpayers have to pay the medical bills . . . . You have no reason to be on the road.
“I really think that you are reckless. Reckless, ignorant behaviour on our streets. You fall and we the taxpayers have to pay to take care of you. Reckless!” the judicial officer stated.
He then ordered that Rayside pay the $500 in 16 weeks or spend a month in prison for having no motorcycle insurance and another $500 for the no licence charge to be paid in the same time period. The same alternative was applied.
The first time offender was convicted, reprimanded and discharged for having no licence plates and reprimanded and discharged for not having the vehicle registered.
For breaching the directive he has to pay the court $3,500 in 16 weeks or spend six months in prison.
