Bangladeshi workers fined

An expatriate worker from Bangladesh was disqualified from all vehicles and fined $1,000 in Magistrates' Court yesterday for impaired driving.

Jewel Gomes, 30, from Southcote Road in Paget, pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence on November 22.

Crown counsel Nicole Smith told the court that Police travelling on Southcote Road saw Gomes, on his motorcycle, swerving across the road at about 1.37 a.m. He was stopped and asked to get off his cycle, but had trouble getting the cycle on its stand.

Ms Smith said Gomes told Police he had “a few drinks with friends”.

In court Gomes admitted to the offence, saying he was homesick and missed his family, which is why he got drunk.

Another Bangladeshi worker, Mark Rozario, 36, of Union Street, pleaded guilty to disobeying a traffic sign on December 8 - the same day he was disqualified from driving for a year.

Duty counsel Leo Mills said Rozario thought he was allowed to take his motorcycle home.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner fined him $600 for his latest traffic violation, another $100 for driving without due care and $1,000 for driving while disqualified.

Man fined $4,000 for drugs

Being in possession of cannabis and cannabis resin in an increased penalty zone cost a Somerset man $4,000 in Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

Dwayne David Bean, 43, of Main Road, pleaded guilty to being in possession of 1.39 grams of cannabis and 0.34 grams of resin on August 30 at the Workman's Club in Hamilton Parish - an increased penalty zone.

Crown counsel Nicole Smith said uniformed Police officers spotted Bean outside the club at about 12.50 p.m. on that day.

She said when Bean spotted the Police he entered the club and officers followed, asking Bean to escort them outside once more.

Ms Smith said the officers noticed Bean appeared to be drunk and when they searched him they found a plastic twist with cannabis and a silver twist with cannabis resin in a pocket.

“Sorry sir, I wouldn't say I was having a bad day, I was having some problems,” Bean told the court, adding that he had been trying to get his life back “on track”.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner fined Bean $1,000 for each of the two counts and an additional $1,000 on each count for being in an increased penalty zone - a total of $4,000.

Impaired driver banned for a year

A 26-year-old St.George's man pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court yesterday to driving while impaired.

Shane Minors, of Wellington Road, was stopped by Police on November 12 at about 2.05 a.m. near the National Sports Stadium.

Crown counsel Nicole Smith told the court that officers spotted Minors “riding fast” down Court Street and were forced to give chase in attempts to catch him.

In court yesterday, Minors told Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner he never heard saw the Police officers, or heard the sirens until he was at the National Sports Stadium.

Mr. Warner said: “Don't drive if you choose to drink,” and fined Minors $1,000, disqualifying him from all vehicles for 12 months.

Accused woman changes plea

A woman who first claimed she was given nine stolen bottles of liquor by a friend and later said she had been forced to hold the liquor this week admitted stealing them.

Daynell Marshall Webb, 26, of Rose Hill, Southampton was charged with stealing the alcohol on October 4 from the 9 Beaches Resort.

During her last appearance at Magistrates' Court, she said she was handed the bottles by a friend and presumed they were bought. She then said she was forced to hold the liquor by someone.

Police investigated her allegation but did not find evidence that Webb was forced to break the law, the court was told on Monday when she pleaded guilty. She will be sentenced on February 14.

Banned driver ‘took a chance'

A 23-year-old Pembroke man's decision to drive while disqualified landed him back in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Donavon Johnson, of Eve's Hill Lane, was fined $1,000 for driving illegally on December 9. Johnson lost his licence in October this year and told the court yesterday “ I took a chance” and apologised for his actions. “It was a bad decision,” he said.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner gave Johnson until January 31 to pay the fine.