A teenaged girl who threw drugs over a prison wall is today behind bars for a year.

Acting Magistrate Justin Williams jailed 18-year-old Tashay Minks, of Hamilton Parish, who had admitted charges of possessing cannabis resin and cocaine freebase and possessing the drugs within an increased penalty zone with intent to supply.

On February 3 this year Minks was caught on surveillance cameras throwing a brown paper bag over an external fence at the Westgate Correctional Facility. The bag, which was later found by a security guard contained a bottle of brown liquid, 1.86 grams of cannabis resin, 0.12 grams of cocaine freebase and a photograph of Minks.

The brown liquid was later determined to be alcohol.

When first arrested Minks admitted throwing the bag over the fence, but denied having knowledge of its contents.

She later admitted purchasing the drugs.

She told the police the drugs were to be sold for a profit within the prison and that she was to receive a share of the profits.

Minks, who apologized to the Magistrates Court, told probation officers that she committed the offences because she was in love.

Lawyer Kenrick James, who mitigated on behalf of the defendant, said Minks had a childhood filled with emotional issues.

He urged the court to take her ‘troubled’ upbringing into consideration when passing sentence.

“This young person needs guidance and should be given a second chance,” he said. He urged the court to give Minks a suspended sentence with strict guidelines attached.

Prosecutor Graveney Bannister argued that Minks had committed a serious offence and urged the court to impose a custodial sentence that would deter liked-minded persons from taking contraband into prison. He asked the court to impose a sentence of between 15 and 18 months.

At this stage the defendant and a number of her relatives and friends began to cry.

Before passing sentence Magristrate Williams said: “I agree that these are very serious offences. There could have been negative consequences had the drugs found their way inside the prison.”

He noted that Minks was a first time offender and jailed her for six months for possessing cannabis resin, nine months for possessing cocaine freebase and a year for possessing the drugs within an increased penalty zone. The sentences are to run concurrently.