Driver denies knowing about guns, drugs and ammo

Brian Barry King said he was “shocked” at the contents of bags found in the back seat of a hired truck that he was driving when police cut them open over five years ago.

He was giving his unsworn statement from the dock of the No. 2 Supreme Court on Thursday when the guns, ammunition and drugs trial against him and a co-accused continued.

King, of No 18 Hilltop, Pinelands, St Michael and Adrian Fitzgerald Bradshaw, also known as Peter Bradshaw, of Storey Gap, Codrington Hill, St Michael are facing nine jurors and Justice Randall Worrell on several charges.

They are jointly charged with possession of a .357 revolver, a .22 revolver, and a 9 mm pistol, along with 678 rounds of ammunition.

The two are also charged with possession and trafficking of 37.9 kilogrammes of cannabis.

According to the evidence given by police, the illegal items and contraband, which were inside feed bags and packed in the backseat of a pickup truck, were seized at No. 2 Blades Hill, St Philip. The court heard that King was held at the scene while Bradshaw escaped but was later apprehended.

King told the court that he does not own a vehicle but had access to one and had used it on September 15, 2016.

He said that in the past he assisted another man, whose name he called, when that person had transportation issues. Atthat time, the man was nursing a broken hand.

“I received a phone call from (name withheld) to assist his friend to move some clothes, household items to his house in Blades Hill where he will be staying for a bit.

“He gave me directions to Storey Gap. As I got to Storey Gap, the friend, which I don’t know his name, told me he was going to get the clothes, household items and stuff but my vehicle is too small so he would need a bigger vehicle,” said King who added that the man telephoned someone else who had a hired truck.

“He ask me to take him to Pioneer Road to collect the said hired truck that he spoke to the gentleman about. He and the gentleman made arrangements to take my car to Blades Hill,” he revealed.

King said he proceeded to Storey Gap where the man moved the bags into the backseat of the hired vehicle.

“While putting the bags into the vehicle I didn’t see any drugs, or smell anything to alert of cannabis or anything [like] that, so I just headed to Blades Hill.

“On arrival to Blades Hill I got out of the vehicle. I gave the gentleman the key for the said truck. I started walking to go to where I was to pick up my vehicle and at the time is where, after standing waiting on my vehicle, Mr Boyce [Sergeant Kevin Boyce] walk and came to me and said that I was under arrest for suspicion of cannabis, veg matter suspected to be drugs.

“I was walked back . . . to the left back door of the vehicle where he (Boyce) opened the bags and at this present point is where he left me in full shock . . . . He asked me to account for the bags and I told him I know nothing of the bags or what is in the bags,” said the accused who added that he was subsequently transported to the Glebe Police Station where he was interviewed about guns, drugs and ammunition.

“Where I again told Mr Boyce I know nothing of these drugs and guns and ammunition,” he added.

Dr Lenda Blackman, who is representing King along with attorneys Simon Clarke and Ken Mason, then closed their case.

On Wednesday Bradshaw gave his unsworn statement saying that he was “nowhere in Blades Hill at the time I am accused of, neither did I travel in any vehicle to collect any bags to Storey Gap and go to Blades Hill at that time”.

Today, he then called one witness before closing his case.

Prosecutor Senior Crown Counsel Oliver Thomas, Dr Blackman and Bradshaw who is representing himself are expected to make their closing addresses to the jury on Monday.