No extension for firearm fines, judge warns Christ Church man

A Christ Church man has been told he will receive no extension on a court-imposed deadline to pay outstanding fines for illegal firearm and ammunition offences.

Last August, Rawle Anthony Caesar, of Kingsland Terrace, Christ Church, had pleaded guilty to having a 9mm Taurus semi-automatic pistol and ten rounds of ammunition on September 29, 2023. He was fined $26 000 for the gun, $10 000 of which was payable immediately, and $6 000 for the ammunition, and was given until December 30, 2026 to pay.

During his review in the No. 4 Supreme Court, Caesar said he had $15 000 more to pay because he had been unable to work for a period due to an injury.

He presented a paper to the court saying: “I am not working at the moment. I had an injury, and I had to have surgery, and I had it two weeks ago and wasn’t able to work.”

Saying he was due back at work later this month and would be able to make additional payments, he asked for more time before the deadline.

“Ma’am, I just want to know if you would consider at that time granting me some more time to finish pay due to the situation as I wasn’t working,” he said.

Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell, however, said: “I have given you more time than normal. So there is no extension coming. You got a whole year and four months. Normally, I don’t give people that much time.”

The case was adjourned for December 18.

(JB)