Middle-aged woman on cocaine and cannabis charges

The “suspicious” manner in which Rhonda Elizabeth Hollingsworth moved her mouth when police arrived at her residence to execute a search warrant led to a drug discovery.

When the 57-year-old shop owner of No. 42 Golden Rock, The Pine, St Michael spat, a bag containing several solid crystalline substances was discovered by lawmen.

Hollingsworth was sitting in her shop when police arrived on February 8. During the search, a camouflage purse containing 23 smaller bags of cannabis was found.

Sergeant Victoria Taitt said the search extended to the woman’s dining room where ten greaseproof wrappings containing cocaine were found.

Hollingsworth admitted knowledge of the cocaine and the cannabis.

Before Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes on Wednesday, she pleaded guilty to possession of 12.5 grammes or $62.50 worth of cannabis as well as possession, possession with intent to supply and trafficking of 17.9 grammes or $895 worth of cocaine.

Mitigating on Hollingsworth’s behalf, attorney-at-law Kyle Walkes said his 58-year-old client, who has operated a shop from her home for the last 12 years, had not wasted the court’s time and had pleaded guilty on her first appearance before the Chief Magistrate.

He said she was “remorseful of her transgression”, and given the nature of the offences asked that a bond be imposed as she is “not known to the court”.

“It is most unfortunate that at your mature age  . . . that you will have this stuff around you. I really think you should do better than this,” Chief Magistrates Weekes told the convicted woman.

He then ruled that she be reprimanded and discharged on the cannabis charge as well as the possession and possession with intent to supply cocaine charges.

But for the trafficking charge, Hollingsworth was placed on a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for the next six months. In breach of the order, she will have to pay a forthwith fine of $1 500 or spend the alternative of 120 days at Dodds Prison.