General worker remanded on gun charge

Junior Louis Delisle Roachford got a reprieve from the court for a marijuana offence but was not as lucky on a gun charge.

The Corday Avenue, Bayville, St Michael resident was given an automatic 28-day remand at Dodds prison for allegedly having a firearm in his possession on February 7 without a valid licence to do so .

He was not required to plead before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on the indictable charge and will have to face a judge and jury on that matter.

But the 27-year-old general worker took responsibility for possession of 10.65 grammes of cannabis worth $55.

Police were on mobile patrol along St Paul’s Avenue, Bayville when they noticed some men congregating. There was also a strong scent of cannabis which raised their suspicion.

When police approached the group, several persons ran away and Roachford was observed picking up a bottle before trying to leave the area. He was stopped and a search was requested of his person, which he agreed to, Police Constable Ralph Rollock said in outlining the facts.

In Roachford’s pocket was a bag containing 19 smaller bags with vegetable matter. Asked to account for the substance, he replied: “Just a little weed.”

Mitigating on the convicted man’s behalf, attorney-at-law Kyle Walkes urged the court to be lenient in sentencing on what he described as a “relative misdemeanour”.

He also urged Magistrate Kim Butcher to reprimand and discharge his client given the “general direction” the country was going when it came to possession of cannabis under 14 grammes.

“I urge the court to be as lenient as possible given that he has bigger fish to fry with the other charge,” the defence attorney submitted.

Magistrate Butcher exercised her discretion in favour of the defence and reprimanded and discharged Roachford on the charge.

Walkes made an application for the firearm charge to be fast tracked to the High Court for trial.