yesterday told she was part of the community's drug problem.

Magistrate Cheryl-Ann Mapp told Dub City Record Shack employee Janet Smith that by buying drugs she was keeping pushers and dealers in business.

The Collector's Hill, Smith's Parish woman had earlier pleaded guilty to possession of 0.82 grams of cannabis and cigarette papers.

Mrs. Mapp ordered a social inquiry report for Smith who was caught in possession of the illegal materials at 11.55 p.m. on September 10.

Police officers caught her with the drugs and equipment in the back seat of a car outside Dub City in Bailey's Bay where they witnessed an alleged drug transaction take place.

Smith told the court she was getting a lift home in the car and had not taken part in any drug transaction.

Mrs. Mapp said: "Users like you keep drugs pushers and dealers in business.'' But Smith said there were thousands of other people using drugs as well.

Mrs. Mapp shot back: "Yes, but if each of those thousand people refused to participate in drugs then the dealers would be out of business.'' As long as people participated in the Island's drug culture, she continued, then drugs would remain in society and keep going down through the generations.

Smith said her children did not use drugs and never witnessed her doing them.

Mrs. Mapp asked: "Why is it `do as I say not do as I do'?'' "It's a community problem and it will affect your children if you continue to misuse drugs. If you don't think that then you're living in a different world.'' She added that since Smith could not answer why she used drugs then maybe the court could help provide her with some solutions.

She bailed Smith for $1,000 with a like surety and told her to report to Probation Services on Cedar Avenue.

MAN SWORE IN PUBLIC PLACE CTS Man swore in public place Magistrate Cheryl-Ann Mapp ordered a social inquiry report for a homeless man who yesterday pleaded guilty to swearing in a public place.

She told Richard Smith, 36, that he obviously had "a problem with behaviour and vocabulary'' as he had a long history of similar offences.

The latest one occurred on January 22 at Belvin's Grocery where he was harassing customers when the Police arrived at 6.55 p.m.

Smith fired off a string of expletives at the officers including "what the f*** are you bothering me for''.

The offensive language culminated with him telling them that he did not care if they locked him "the f*** up'' -- which they did.

Duty counsel Renee Foggo told the court Smith was depressed over losing his job and had been taking medication. She asked the court to consider community service as a suitable sentence.

Mrs. Mapp told Smith that "the last thing'' he needed to be doing was attracting the Police's attention.

She said it appeared he had a problem with the misuse of alcohol and asked him if he mixed his medication with booze to which he nodded.

Due to his numerous offences Mrs. Mapp ordered a social inquiry report to be prepared and told Smith to return to court on March 4.

She said she would bail him for $500 with a like surety but only if he found himself a fixed abode where probation officers could contact him.

AUSSIE WOMAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY CTS Aussie woman pleads not guilty A 36-year-old Australian woman yesterday pleaded not guilty to obstructing a Customs officer in the execution of her duty.

Eva Salla, of Sydney, will return to court on January 28 for trial, three days before she leaves the Island.

The Hare Krishna missionary was stopped by Customs officials after she flew to Bermuda to meet her husband on January 15.

She told The Royal Gazette that she was searched for drugs during which time she alleged she was harassed, abused, stripped and handcuffed.

Magistrate Cheryl-Ann Mapp was hesitant to release the woman without a surety on her bail but after she heard Salla's travel documents were in Police possession she agreed.

Salla was released on $1,000 bail and must report to Hamilton Police Station every day between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. until the trial.

PEMBROKE MAN ORDERED OFF ROAD CTS Pembroke man ordered off road Driving with twice the legal limit of alcohol in his blood cost a 27-year-old accountant his vehicle licence for 12 months and $600 yesterday.

Magistrate Cheryl-Ann Mapp also admonished Patrick O'Brien of Boss's Cove Road, Pembroke for driving impaired on December 21.

"You could have given your family a very unpleasant Christmas present if you had killed yourself or someone else,'' she said.

The court heard Police officers pulled O'Brien over after watching him riding his motorcycle in a very unsteady manner and then drive through a stop sign.

He told them he did not see the sign and the officers could smell liquor on his breath.

They asked him if he had been drinking and he replied "one or two''. The officers asked him to give a sample of breath and he agreed before asking if he could ride his bike to the station.

The lowest breath analysis reading showed O'Brien had 161 milligrams -- the legal limit is 80 -- of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

O'Brien apologised to the court and Mrs. Mapp told him: "You are fortunate to have the opportunity to do so.''