Man broke law to put a meal on the table

A watersports operator was today fined after admitting to breaching a COVID-19 directive and poaching a closed-season seafood delicacy.

In his explanation to Magistrate Elwood Watts today 36-year-old Kevin Andrew Luke, of College Savannah No. 2, St John said the COVID-19 lockdown had been a “difficult time” for him as a single parent rendering him unable to provide for his family as he had no income.

“I was just trying to put some food on the table,” Luke told the District ‘C’ Magistrates’ Court today.

Acting on a report of poaching, officers of the Marine Unit drove to Bath, St John sometime after 5 p.m. yesterday. On approach, they saw Luke driving out of the area and they signaled him to stop. A search was requested which he consented and, according to Station Sergeant St Clair Phillips, a white plastic bucket with nine containers each containing sea egg rows were found. He admitted then to the officers that he had dived for the sea eggs, broke and then parcelled them.

“I apologise to the court,” Luke said when asked whether he had anything to say in his defence. He explained that when he left home that morning “I had absolutely no food in my house.”

“I understand the seriousness of the allegations. I was in the sea and I was not in direct contact with people.”

The magistrate asked him how did he expect to sell his catch.

“You got a point,” Luke responded adding, “I am asking for leniency. This has been a difficult time . . . with no sort of revenue. I know people are getting remanded but I ask that I don’t because it is just me and my 15-year-old son. I also have a nine-year-old but he lives with his mum.

“I ain’t had no work, I was just trying to get something. I was just trying to put food on the table.”

Luke also told the court that he had recently secured a job overseas working on a farm and urged the court not to record a conviction against him.

However the magistrate explained that he could not trivialize the charges levelled against him as the directives were put in place to safeguard the public given the nature of the pandemic and laws were put in place to protect the longevity of the sea eggs.

Given Luke’s situation, the magistrate fined him $100 for the charge that he contravened Regulation 9 Clause (a) of the Fisheries (Management) Regulation 1998 for having a quantity of sea eggs row in his possession during the closed season without obtaining written permission for the chief fisheries officer. Telling the court that he would get help from his partner who lives overseas Luke was given seven days to pay the amount or spend 14 days in prison.

He was further fined $1 000 payable in four months for breaching Paragraph (13) subparagraph (1) Clause (a) of the Emergency Management (COVID-19) (CURFEW) (No.4) Directive when he visited Bath Beach other than for the purpose of swimming and exercise.

Luke has been advised that he can approach the court for an extension to pay the amount if he experiences any difficulties. He faces an alternative of three months in prison if the amount is not honoured.