month appeared in Magistrates' Court yesterday before Senior Magistrate Will Francis, their case being set down for mention on September 18.

Reid Jones, 24, of Sandys Parish, and Randolph Lightbourne, 31, of Devonshire, are facing armed robbery and firearms charges.

Lightbourne faces additional charges which include using a firearm to commit an indictable offence and attempting to do grievous bodily harm.

The offences stem from the July 8 robbery of the Somerset branch of the Bank of Butterfield.

At about 10.15 on the morning in question two masked and armed robbers entered a side door of the bank, while security officers were making a cash delivery.

The robbers incapacitated the security officers, injuring one in the process, and fled with a bag containing $70,000 in cash.

The intruders were forced to flee on foot, when their getaway motorbike would not start.

Both Jones and Lightbourne are remanded in custody. Meanwhile, Jones also faces charges of wilful damage, and assault causing bodily harm. His trial on these charges, which stem from a separate incident, gets underway in Magistrates' Court on December 8.

HORTON STILL IN LIMBO GVT Horton still in limbo No decision has been reached about the fate of former Tourism official Randy Horton because of his lawyer Julian Hall's busy Supreme Court trial calendar.

Mr. Horton, 52, a former US soccer star and Cup Match cricket captain, was cleared of conspiring to defraud the Government after a lengthy Magistrates' Court trial.

He has been suspended from his position as Assistant Director of Tourism since July 26, 1995.

Cabinet Secretary Leo Mills said that no meetings have been held on the matter yet because of Mr. Hall's busy schedule.

MAN BOUGHT CANNABIS CTS Man bought cannabis A social inquiry report has been ordered by Senior Magistrate Will Francis for 18-year-old Pembroke resident David Cox who yesterday pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis.

Prosecutor Sgt. Phil Taylor told Magistrates' Court that at midnight on December 21, Mr. Cox was seen apparently involved in a transaction. He was subsequently searched and found to have seven envelopes of cannabis.

Sgt. Taylor said the transaction was witnessed by two uniformed officers, patrolling St. Monica's Road, in a marked Police car.

Mr. Cox purchased the drugs in plain view of the patrolling Policemen and when questioned, said: "I was just getting some for the dance.'' No bail was set for Mr. Cox who is due back in court in October. He left court in the company of a probation officer.

DRIVER LOSES LICENCE CTS Driver loses licence Southampton resident Christopher Kemp was fined $700 and banned from driving private cars for two years when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Will Francis yesterday and pleaded guilty to driving while impaired.

Kemp, whose job at Bay Imports and Marine requires him to drive a jeep, was allowed to continue driving for his employers.

According to Police prosecutor Phillip Taylor, 26-year-old Kemp was stopped by Police at 2.20 a.m. on July 31 after his car was seen swerving across the road and cutting corners.

When tested, he was found to have 171 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood -- more than twice the legal limit.

Before sentencing, Kemp apologised to the Court for his crime and said he knew he had been drinking before he got into his car that night but did not think he was over the limit.