Magistrate chides young man for failing community service

A 26-year-old man was taken to task recently for failing to perform court-imposed community service as punishment for drug offences.

Najee Antonia Harding, of Bannister Land, Martindales Road, St Michael, had been ordered to perform 150 hours of community service after being convicted or possession, possession with intent to supply, and trafficking of 3.89 grammes or $169 worth of cocaine, on February 15.

The illegal substance was found in a plastic bag in Harding’s pocket when lawmen executed a search warrant at another person’s residence where the convicted man was found in the gallery.

“You were given community service but decided that you are only doing some?” Chief Justice Ian Weekes queried, to which Harding replied: “I was doing the community service but I was going through a little stress. I going through a little difficulty with my family, a little house business, I really can’t expose it.”

The explanation appeared to be unsatisfactory.

“You are wasting our resources. You do not have a job but you cannot go and do the people community service. The order for community service is revoked. You want to loath around and waste people’s time,” Weekes stated.

Harding, who is on $2 000 bail, will reappear before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on July 8. In the meantime, he has been ordered to find something constructive to do, such as finding employment or enrolling in a programme of study.