A 27-year-old Sandys man pleaded guilty in Magistrates? Court yesterday for being in possession of pepper spray but claimed he thought it was bug spray. Jamal Symonds from White Hill Lane was arrested by Police at about 2 a.m. on May 23 on Dundonald Street. Crown counsel Wayne Caines told the court that uniformed Police on patrol noticed Symonds and another man acting suspiciously and stopped to search them.

He said Police found the canister in Symonds? pants, but he told them it was bug spray.

Mr. Caines said the red canister clearly stated on the side that it was pepper spray.

Symonds told Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo that he had found the canister on a boat while fishing and thought it was bug spray, adding that he also thought it was empty.

He said he never planned to harm anyone.

?If it was that dangerous why did the Police not take me to hospital?? Symonds asked the court, adding that he had sprayed the bug spray on his arm while out fishing to keep the flies away.

Mr. Tokunbo fined Symonds $1,000 or 100 days default. ?Let that be a lesson to you,? he told Symonds and gave him until Friday to pay the fine.