A 23-year-old woman who denied possessing a magazine and ammunition on August 29 had her case tried in Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

According to Alan Richards, for the Crown, airport security officer Keen Hendrickson was the first person at the airport to notice that Rhea Virgil’s purse contained a Glock pistol magazine and five bullets. The items were uncovered in the US Customs area.

Another security officer, Carlos Talbot, also hand-searched Ms Virgil’s bag but did not notice the magazine and ammunition until it showed up on the airport’s X-ray machine.

Mr Talbot added that Ms Virgil, a Bermudian who lives in Loganville, Georgia, was co-operative while he was searching her bag.

Pc Eric Krueger, who seized the magazine at the airport, told the court he asked Ms Virgil why she had it, to which she responded: “I forgot that it was in my second purse.”

She also told Mr Krueger that she has a concealed weapon licence in the US. She was taken from the screening area to the airport police station.

Mr Richards read a statement from another police officer, Kavin Trott, who officially charged Ms Virgil at Hamilton Police Station on August 30.

Having no submissions, Ms Virgil’s lawyer, Elizabeth Christopher, also closed the defence’s case on Wednesday.

She told acting magistrate Kenlyn Swan that Ms Virgil never acted like she had any idea that the magazine and bullets were in her bag and was extremely co-operative with both security and police officers throughout the entire process.

Ms Christopher told Ms Swan: “In this case, the Crown has not shown that you feel sure Ms Virgil knew about the items in her bag.”

Ms Swan adjourned the case to September 27 for her ruling.

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