St Andrew man must pay for illegal weapon found in his pants

Police nabbed Andre Decourcey Marshall on the very day that he was “gifted” with a loaded firearm.

Now the Black Belly sheep farmer, from Chalky Mount, St Andrew has six months to pay a $25 000 fine to the High Court if he wants to avoid spending six months at Dodds.

Justice Randall Worrell imposed the sentence after conducting an assessment of Marshall’s means to pay a fine for having a .32 revolver and ten rounds of ammunition.

A $15 000 fine was placed on the gun charge and the remainder for having the bullets.

“I ask the court to show me mercy and give me another chance in society. I have a family and a farm that needs me out in society,” he said in a short address to the No. 2 Supreme Court.

Marshall was nabbed along the Speightstown Bypass (now the KNR Husbands Highway) on February 11, 2015, and during a search police found a hard object in the crotch of his pants which turned out to be the loaded firearm.

Officers also discovered that the weapon contained six rounds of ammunition and in his jacket pocket was another four rounds of ammunition wrapped in tissue.

The court heard that police were on mobile patrol along Road View Road, St Peter when they spotted a motorcycle on which Marshall, was the pillion rider.

As they followed Marshall kept looking back in their direction, causing the officers to become suspicious.

Police signalled for them to stop by turning on the siren, the prosecutor Senior Crown Counsel Olivia Davis told the court, but the driver continued on his way. They were pursued and the motorcycle eventually came to a stop along the Speightstown Bypass Road where Marshall attempted to flee but was held.

The search was conducted and the illegal items found.

Marshall pleaded guilty before Justice Worrell. Moments before he was sentenced, he told the court that the weapon was given to him by someone who was now deceased.

The judge asked, “Was it a gift?” The convicted man, who has one previous conviction, said “Yes sir.”

When asked why he had a need for the illegal weapon Marshall stated: “I ain’t really think. I received a phone call from that person telling me to come look for them.”

The judge responded: “Well look how it is going to make you lose your savings.”

Marshall was represented by attorney-at-law Angella Mitchell-Gittens.