Minutes documentary on the United States investing in the Haitian judicial system, was given a suspended prison sentence.

Forty-one year old John Steven DaCosta of Cambridge Road in Somerset, admitted stealing a 19-inch Magnavox television set from his workplace on Sunday November 14.

The court heard DaCosta has an extensive criminal record spanning 26 years for dishonesty, violence and drug offences.

Crown prosecutor Leighton Rochester told Senior Magistrate Will Francis that DaCosta stole the television from Thelma Dill who owns Thel's Cafe in Somerset. He said DaCosta was employed by Ms Dill as a cleaner for the premises and was left in charge of locking the cafe when he was finished his work each night.

According to Mr. Rochester, DaCosta did not lock the cafe on Sunday night when his work was complete, but returned and removed the TV. Police later searched DaCosta's home and found the television in an outside storage room. He eventually admitted taking it and was arrested. DaCosta told the court that he only meant to borrow the TV.

"Your honour I had to return a TV that I had been renting and there was this documentary I really wanted to watch on Sunday night, so I thought I would just borrow Ms Dill's TV.'' he said. "I had planned to return it before she came back to work but I over slept.'' Senior Magistrate Will Francis imposed a three-month prison sentence suspended for one year.

A prisoner denied a charge of possessing cocaine with intent to supply, in the plea court session of Magistrates court on Wednesday morning.

Forty-five year old Ernest Thomas Cann of Scotts Hill Road in Sandys pleaded not guilty to the alleged 19th of February incident.

The case will be mentioned again in two weeks.

Also up on illicit drug charges was 20 year-old Lashon Isiah Dill of St.

David's.

Dill denied a charge of possessing cocaine on August 10 in Pembroke. A trial date for next year was set down.

NEW EMT FIREFIGHTERS HELP WOMAN FIR New EMT firefighters help woman Firefighters put their newly-acquired emergency medical skills to good use when they assisted an elderly woman who had taken ill at a Remembrance Day church service.

The prompt and professional action of the officers drew praise from former Police Commissioner Lennett (Lennie) Edwards, who was at the ceremony at St.

James Church in Sandys Parish.

Since February, firefighters in the east and west ends of the Island have been giving emergency treatment at accident and fire scenes until the arrival of ambulance crews.

The new service is designed to speed up the treatment offered to victims at the remote ends of the Island.

On Sunday morning, Mr. Edwards said he assisted lead EMT officer Troy Furbert, Sgt. Wendell Simmons and two other fire officers to help the elderly woman until the arrival of an ambulance crew. The fire officers were in attendance at the ceremony.

DRUNK DRIVER FELL ASLEEP AT WHEEL CTS Drunk driver fell asleep at wheel A drunk driver who fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a stone wall has been banned from driving for a year and fined $750.

Antonie O'Brien Wingood, of Greenfield Lane, Sandys Parish, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to failing to comply to a request for a breath test after Police were called to the crash scene on Harbour Road on October 23.

Crown counsel Leighton Rochester said Wingood had lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a stone wall which fell on the car's roof.

He said Police, who rushed to the scene, found Wingood unsteady on his feet despite the fact he had claimed to only have had two beers.

Wingood's lawyer, Ann Cartwright DeCouto, said Wingood had been drinking at the Docksiders pub and the Blue Waters Anglers' Club with two pals following the funeral of Leroy Thompson.

She said: "Both friends were sleepy so he drove.'' Wingood, 39, was banned from driving all motor vehicles for 12 months and fined $450.

He was also fined $750 for driving an unlicensed vehicle and $300 for driving an uninsured vehicle after his lawyer had explained that her client did not know the vehicle was unlicensed and uninsured because it was not his.

MAN WOULD RATHER DO MORE TIME CTS Man would rather do more time A Sandys Parish man opted for a further 70 days in prison rather than pay a $750 fine.

Ken Simons, 40, of Bobs Valley Road, told Senior Magistrate Will Francis that he had just received a 90-day prison sentence over non-payment of child support.

But he asked the court if he could do the time for having an unlicensed car, no third party insurance, and no driver's license.

Mr. Francis told him: "You will do a consecutive term and then it will all be over.'' DRUNK DRIVER HAD NO HELMET CTS Drunk driver had no helmet A drunk rider nabbed after Police spotted him without a helmet has been banned from driving all motor vehicles for 12 months and fined $400.

When Police stopped Andre William Bean, in Middle Road, Sandys Parish, on October 3 they noticed he had been unsteady, his eyes were red, and he smelled of booze.

He told Police that he had ridden all the way from the Rangers club in Southampton without his helmet because it had been stolen.

Bean, 37, of Coral Acres Drive, Southampton, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to driving while impaired. But he denied he had been totally drunk because he had only consumed a Guinness and a vodka to combat pain.