Unpaid fine comes up in marijuana, cocaine case

An unpaid fine dating back to 2019 came back to haunt a 38-year-old St John man who on Friday appeared before a City court on marijuana and cocaine charges.

Jamar Andre Bradshaw from No 2 College Savannah is now on remand at Dodds awaiting his fate and will reappear before Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes on September 27.

Bradshaw pleaded guilty to having possession, possession with intent to supply and possession with intent to traffic 19.5 grammes or $97.50 worth of cannabis on August 29 and 80.5 grammes or $402.50 worth of the illicit substance on August 30.

He also admitted to having 0.75 grammes or $37.50 worth of cocaine in his possession on Thursday.

Sergeant Randolph Boyce told the court that the first set of marijuana was found when police asked to search Brashaw after he was observed passing a bag with vegetable matter to another man along Fairchild Street, St Michael.

A piece of crystallised substance, later discovered to be cocaine, was found when they did a further search of his person at the police station.

The second quantity of marijuana was discovered on a table in his bedroom when police executed a search warrant at his residence early on Friday.

Addressing the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court Bradshaw said: “I does use them, Sir . . . I don’t even know what to say right now.”

A look at his criminal record showed he had four previous convictions for cannabis with a fine imposed in 2019 for $2 000 to be paid or two months in prison.

Bradshaw told the chief magistrate “I was trying”. But a further check discovered that he had not paid any of the money and a warrant of default of payment had been issued for him.

“That’s 2019, this is 2024,” Chief Magistrate Weekes pointed out. “You didn’t come back.”