High crime

Youth admits to committing traffic offences after taking cocaine

When Jaheim Jarad Tyreke Thompson committed several traffic offences last Friday, including fleeing from the scene of an accident, he was not only high on cocaine but hallucinating.

The 21-year-old Clifton Hill, St Thomas resident gave that explanation on Monday before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court when he confessed that he committed five traffic offences after taking up his mother’s vehicle.

Thompson admitted that he drove the motor car when he was not in possession of a driver’s licence or insurance, drove without due care and attention, and that he was the one driving on Promenade Road on June 2 and was involved in an accident and did not stop immediately.

Police Constable Richard Ellis, in reading the facts, disclosed to Magistrate Manila Renee that Thompson lost control of the vehicle, struck a utility pole, and destroyed a meter attached to a residence before running away. Investigations were carried out, the car owner was found, and the accused was brought into custody.

In explaining his actions to the court Thompson said, “I is definitely an addict. From 13 years old, I was fighting with this cocaine habit that I have and I made up in my mind that when I come to court, I won’t waste the court time.”

“Yes, I take up the vehicle, Ma’am, but I was using before I take up the vehicle, Ma’am . . . . Before I get in the vehicle, I was using drugs and I literally run ‘round the car like six or seven times and it was like I was hallucinating.

“Ma’am, if you can literally look at my feet, I mean I literally walk out my toenails from walking and just using. I mean like I just using, using, using. I was using drugs while I was using the car. I take up the vehicle from home. I asking the court if possible I can get any help,” he said.

Magistrate Renee asked Thompson, who has three prior convictions, why he didn’t ask for help when he was released from prison in 2020.

“Ma’am, to be honest, I wasn’t ready,” he replied. “I am becoming a social parasite, that’s how bad I is. It sound harsh, Ma’am, but this is how bad it is for me.”

Thompson also stated that he had been at the Psychiatric Hospital and Verdun House.

Asked why he did not take advantage of the opportunity at Verdun House, Thompson said he had relapsed.

The magistrate then remanded him to Dodds pending sentence.

Thompson will reappear on July 3.