drugs a month after his previous conviction.

Rodney Leon Burt, of King Street, Pembroke, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to possessing diamorphine in an increased penalty zone.

Junior Crown counsel Veronica Gordon said Police observed Burt in a "hand to hand'' transaction on October 9 at the junction of Elliott and Court streets.

The location was roughly a hundred metres from the Little Lamb Nursery School.

However, Burt tried to change his plea after Senior Magistrate Will Francis pointed out he already had a suspended sentence from a 1998 conviction.

In that incident, he was fined more than $3,000 and given a one-year imprisonment suspended for two years for possession of cannabis and drug equipment.

Mr. Francis rejected Burt's attempt to change his plea, but released him on $1,000 bail and adjourned sentencing until the presentation of a social inquiry report on March 30.

TEENAGER FINED FOR DRUGS POSSESSION CTS Teenager fined for drugs possession A 19-year-old Pembroke man was fined $300 in Magistrates' Court yesterday after Police discovered cannabis and crack cocaine in his pockets.

Jobari Ebbin, of Christmas Lane, Pembroke, pleaded guilty to possessing both drugs on November 10 last year.

Junior Crown counsel Veronica Gordon said a member of the public tipped off the Police at about 10.30 p.m. after witnessing three men in the Cavendish Road carpark in Pembroke.

Police arrived at the scene, noticed the strong smell of cannabis and saw drug paraphernalia on the ground near the men.

Ebbin produced two envelopes and a matchbox from his pocket and told Police that he wished he had "stayed home''.

A Government analyst later found the envelopes held 0.92 grammes of cannabis and 0.10 grammes of crack cocaine.

DISCARDED BOTTLE COSTS MAN $100 CTS Discarded bottle costs man $100 Swain Lightbourne dropped a bottle of Guinness Stout as Police approached -- and was arrested for littering.

Now the 33-year-old Warwick man has been fined $100 by Magistrate Edward King.

Lightbourne told Mr. King that the place he dropped the bottle -- a yard off Ord Road just east of Lines Market -- was a common dumping area.

He said he thought he had been arrested because Police may have believed he was running away.

"I did throw the bottle into the trees. The Police thought I was trying to cut a trail. So they arrested me for littering.'' Mr. King heard that Lightbourne and another man were standing near a bus stop at 5.50 p.m. on January 25 when they were approached.

Junior Crown counsel Veronica Gordon said officers saw Lightbourne drop the bottle and when he was told to retrieve it, he said: "I ain't picking up no bottle.'' The empty bottle of Guinness was retrieved by Police and kept as an exhibit.

Lightbourne, of Upland Lane, apologised for littering and said he would never repeat the offence, adding: "It's not like I go around littering.'' And he turned to the Royal Gazette reporters and questioned whether his comment would ever make it into print.

After imposing the fine, Mr. King said: "In default ten days, now Swain, don't go to prison for this.'' Lightbourne promised to have the fine paid by March 1.