Deportation to follow jail time

Jamaican Bassonia Collister McDermouth will be handed over to Immigration officials on completion of a four-year sentence at Her Majesty’s Prison Dodds.

The CARICOM national who was convicted of having counterfeit money has 238 more days left to serve on the sentence.

Madam Justice Pamela Beckles handed down the ruling today via a Zoom hearing while McDermouth listened from the prison.

He had previously pleaded guilty to having ten $50 United States bank notes in his possession on January 11, 2018 when he arrived at the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA).

The charges against McDermouth, who is in his early 30s, arose from an investigation for narcotics that he had allegedly swallowed. He was taken to a police station and a search of his luggage was conducted. The fake money was contained in a wallet.

“Me know it not real,” he allegedly told police at the time. He was also subsequently charged for possession of cannabis and sentenced to 18 months in prison after he was unable to pay a $4 000 forthwith fine for trafficking.

Justice Beckles presiding over the No. 5 Supreme Court, said the charges for the counterfeit money merited a custodial sentence. She pointed to the aggravating factors including the nature and seriousness of the charge as well as the fact that McDermouth bought the fake currency from Jamaica to Barbados for financial gain

In his favour, judge said was the fact that he cooperated with police and had no prior convictions at the time he was charged. Furthermore, the 18-month sentence for trafficking of cannabis arose from the same circumstances as the counterfeit charge.

She then imposed a starting sentence of four years and credited him for the time he had spent on remand – 492 days and his guilty plea. She also took into consideration other factors leaving McDermouth with 238 more days to serve.

Senior Crown Counsel Olivia Davis represented the Crown while attorney-at-law Marlon Gordon was McDermouth’s defence counsel.