No fear of our supply of Venezuelan oil supply drying up

Shell marketing manager David Rose has played down fears of a knock on effect from the nationwide oil strike in Venezuela - despite the fact that Shell's supply comes from there.

The strike was in its fifth day yesterday in protest about the rule of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Mr. Rose said Shell's supply came from Venezuela before being processed at the refinery at the Dutch island of Curacao a short distance off the Venezuelan coast.

He said: “We have enough supply to take us through to February and we have a contract in place which guarantees supply.

“If we can't get it from Curacao we can get it from somewhere else. It is not a concern at this time.”

Thief jailed for stealing wallet from woman

A problem thief was jailed for nine months yesterday after admitting that he stole a young mother's wallet and cash.

Magistrates Court heard how Marcel Sheppard, 42, had a long history of stealing and had previously spent time in prison.

Prosecutor Graveney Bannister said Sheppard had stolen the wallet from the woman as she shopped in People's Pharmacy on Victoria Street, Pembroke, on December 2.

He was later arrested but the wallet containing $140 cash was gone.

Sheppard, of Reid Street, Hamilton, asked the court to be lenient and asked for a fine to be imposed.

He said: “Can I have some time to pay the fine, if you give me a fine. I just started a new job and I want to pay the lady back her $87, and then that will be it.”

But Magistrate Carlisle Greaves said Sheppard must have been remembering a case from a couple of years ago when he stole $87 from somebody else. This case, he said, involved $140.

Mr. Greaves said: “You need to get with the times.”

He imprisoned Sheppard to nine months and said: “At least we will be free of you for Christmas.”

Stiff fine for 90 kph

A man was disqualified from riding 50cc bikes yesterday after admitting speeding at 90 kph.

Igziabeher Trott, 21, was fined $500 and banned for a year after pleading guilty in Magistrates Court.

The court heard how Trott, of Ord Road, Paget, was caught by Police as he did 90 kph along South Road in Southampton - almost three times the legal 35 kph speed limit. He has until next Friday to pay the fine.

Denies GBH in accident

A Pembroke man will face Supreme Court trial after being charged in plea court yesterday with causing grievous bodily harm when driving while impaired.

Winston Alfred Maynard, 36, of Pitt's Bay Road, will reappear for mention on December 18. Maynard was also charged with making a false statement the day after the accident in Glebe Road on April 27 and for not having a driver's licence.

Trial set for trespassing

A man is to go on trial for trespassing after he was barred from entering Freddies pub in St. George's.

Wolde Gardner, 23, of Glebe Road, Pembroke, was released on $1,000 bail yesterday and ordered to stand trial in Magistrates Court on January 16.

He was accused of trespassing at Freddie's, despite being banned, and of using threatening words on September 29. He denied both charges.

Liquor thieves jailed

Two men were jailed for nine months yesterday for stealing liquor from a Hamilton supermarket.

Rodney Leon Burt, 36, of Friswell's Hill, Pembroke, and Kawesi Simba Wilson, 27, of Cook's Hill, Sandys, both pleaded guilty to the theft charge.

Magistrates Court heard how they had stolen several bottles of alcohol from the Market Place on Church Street earlier this year, but all were retrieved when the two men were caught.

Both men, who had previous convictions, were jailed for nine months, and Wilson was ordered back before the court on March 7 next year for trial after pleading not guilty to a separate offence of stealing a motorcycle in April this year.