Judge advises gunman to end life of crime as he imposed heavy fine for gun possession

A St Michael man has been slapped with a $25 000 fine which he must pay in nine months in a sentence which the issuing Judge said should serve as a “red light” in the convict’s life of crime.

Justice Christopher Birch told Rico Carlos Bovell, of Niles Road, Waterhall Land, Eagle Hall, St Michael that the red light should signal the end of his crime life as he sentenced him today for having a glock semi-automatic pistol and 12 rounds of ammunition in his possession.

The offences were committed in St Lucy on March 4, 2020.

For the illegal weapon Bovell was fined $15, 000 and $10, 000 for the ammunition. Both amounts must be paid in nine months or he will return to HMP Dodds to serve a further three years in prison. The latter started with an eight-year sentence from which the 16 months he has spent on remand and a discount of one-third were deducted, leaving the three years.

“You are not a member of the security forces, you are not a member of law enforcement, you are not licenced to have a firearm, you are not a member of a club. I do not understand why you would have felt the need to have a sophisticated semi-automatic weapon in that calibre in your possession.

“I hope that you now realize that you have been drifting through life and your previous convictions [while] they are not related to this one . . . they should have been enough to show you that a yellow light was on as you were approaching.

“I hope that you will take this situation that you are in now as the red light in terms of any aspirations that you may have to a future in crime. This is the end of crime for you and I hope you accept that,” said Justice Birch who sits in the Supreme Court 5a.

Police were on mobile patrol on March 4, last year along Half Moon Fort, St Lucy when they noticed a motorcycle with Bovell as the pillion rider. On seeing the police, the driver of the motorcycle stopped, turned around, at which time Bovell jumped off and then attempted to get back on.

Lawmen became suspicious and one of the officers exited the vehicle and pursued Bovell. However while the convicted man was running the police noticed a black firearm fall from his body onto the road. Bovell was able to jump back on to the motorcycle and it sped away.

The weapon was retrieved and examined and found to contain 11 rounds of ammunition and another round was contained in the breach.

Bovell was later charged, said Crown Counsel Danielle Mottley who furnished the court with the facts.

The prosecutor and attorney-at-law Arthur Holder in their sentencing submissions said that the imposition of a custodial sentence would not satisfy justice in Bovell’s case.

Justice Birch agreed as he issued a warning to the convict.

“You should not take this as an endorsement of your behaviour,” the judge stated.

“You know, and your actions showed that you knew on the day that you ought not to have a firearm in your possession. It is not for the court to look behind the facts . . . to work out your intention for having that firearm.

“. . . . On the other hand, the firearm was recovered and is no longer a menace to society.”