A man who claimed he imported cannabis resin into the island to save money was sentenced to three months behind bars yesterday.

Wayne DeShields, 26, from St George’s, pleaded guilty in Magistrates’ Court in October to conspiring to import the drug between an unknown date and March 2021, as well as having a scale and grinder intended for drug misuse, after initially denying all charges.

The court heard that 206 grams of THC, valued between $30,000 and $60,000, was recovered.

Prosecutor Alan Richards suggested that DeShields serve between 12 and 18 months behind bars for the offences.

Marc Daniels, DeShields’ lawyer, said that his client imported the drug to the island for his personal use, because it was cheaper than buying it locally and that he did not plan to supply it to anyone. A social inquiry report confirmed this, he said.

Mr Daniels requested that DeShields be given a suspended prison sentence.

DeShields told magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo that ordering the substance from overseas was a dumb decision and a “gamble”, and he only did it to save money.

He said: “I learnt from my actions and I am trying to move on with my life and put this whole thing behind me.

“I never want to come to court for anything related to this matter again.“

Mr Tokunbo called the charges “serious, prevalent and something that needs to be discouraged”.

He added: “The only way that it can be discouraged is with a sentence that reflects that kind of disapproval.”

In addition to three months in prison, DeShields was sentenced to another 12 month term, suspended for one year.

Daquan Williams, 26, also from St George’s, was accused alongside DeShields in this matter, but the Crown withdrew the charges against him.

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