Ali Virgil, of Reid Street, has racked up $16,500 in unpaid child support since 1993.

The 30-year-old said he had been paying the money directly to his daughter's mother instead of through the courts.

However, Magistrate Edward King told him that he should have paid it through the courts no matter what.

"If you are told by the court to bring the money to the court, don't give it to the mother, do it through the courts,'' Mr. King said.

He explained that the court had to ensure that the mother received the money that was owed to her.

"All the mothers out there want to beat up all the dead beat dads and the magistrates too.'' Mr. King ordered Virgil to pay $5,000 by the end of the day or go to prison.

And he also ordered Virgil to begin paying $100 a week until the balance of the debt was paid.

In a separate matter, Virgil was also fined $350 for obstructing Police.

Prosecutor Sgt. Phil Taylor said Police stopped Virgil for a drug search as he walked along Court Street at 10 p.m. on May 23.

As the officer came up behind Virgil, he saw the defendant put something in his mouth.

Virgil subsequently swallowed the object and was arrested for obstruction. He told the officers "it was only a bit of china herb''.

FAULTY BIKE GETS SPEEDER OFF HOOK CTS Faulty bike gets speeder off hook A vet almost landed in the dog house after being nabbed for speeding on an auxiliary bike.

But Magistrate Edward King let Diana Galibraith off after hearing the rented cycle's speedometer only registered up to speeds of 35 kph -- the legal speed limit on the Island.

Galibraith, of Middle Road, Warwick, yesterday pleaded guilty in Magistrates Court to speeding at 57 kph on Middle Road Warwick on June 3.

Lawyer Richard Hector, presented a letter to the court from Oleander Cycles stating that the cycle rented by Galibraith had a faulty speedometer. And he added that although Galibraith was informed of the speed limit she was not told that the speedometer did not register speeds above 35 kph Magistrate Edward King gave Galibraith an absolute discharge saying that the cycle company should have been brought to court for renting a cycle with a defective speedometer.

However, a spokesman for Oleander Cycles yesterday told The Royal Gazette that it was not law to have a speedometer on a 50cc auxilary cycle.

"It was explained to her that it is not neccessary to have a speedometer on the cycle.'' he said.

He added that "you can tell when you are going more than 20 mph with or without a speedometer.'' FINE EATS UP MAN'S HOLIDAY MONEY CTS Fine eats up man's holiday money A visitor spent all of his hard-earned vacation money in Magistrates' Court.

Eighteen-year-old Francis Mustafa pleaded guilty to refusing to give a sample of breath.

Crown Counsel Charmaine Outerbridge Smith said Mustafa was seen by Police at 12:20 a.m. on Tuesday swerving across the road as he drove along Harbour Road.

Mustafa was stopped by the officers after nearly hitting a nearside wall.

It was noticed that he was unsteady on his feet, his eyes were glazed and he smelled of liquor.

Mustafa was taken to the Hamilton Police Station where he began to take the breathalyser test.

The first reading was 206 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

The legal limit is 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

However, he failed the second sample by blowing on the side of the tube. Duty Counsel Kim Wilson said that Mustafa had worked as a waiter throughout the year to save up money to come to Bermuda.

And she said that he and his four friends had learned a valuable lesson from the ordeal. Senior Magistrate Will Francis told Mustafa that Bermuda was just as concerned about drinking and driving as America.

"I hope you didn't think that because this is an Island with palm trees and sparkling water that it isn't seen as a serious offence.'' Mr. Francis fined him $200 for the offence and disqualified him from driving for 12 months.

ST. GEORGE'S MAN FOUND WITH CANNABIS CTS St. George's man found with cannabis Possessing less than a gram of cannabis yesterday cost a St. George's man $100.

Aleck Furbert, 32, of Cut Road, pleaded guilty to the offence when he appeared in Magistrates' Court.

Crown Counsel Charmaine Outerbridge Smith said Police officers searched Furbert as he stood outside Ronnie's Bar on Water Street, St. George's on March 5. A brown envelope containing 0.16 grams of cannabis was found in his left sock.

BIRTHDAY BINGE RESULTS IN DRIVING BAN CTS Birthday binge results in driving ban A birthday celebration landed a 49-year-old man in Magistrates' Court.

Gregory Smith, of Cottage Hill, Hamilton Parish, received a $600 fine and a one-year driving ban after he pleaded guilty to riding while intoxicated.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Phil Taylor said Police officers found Smith lying on the ground next to his motorcycle on Cottage Hill Lane at 1 a.m. on May 27. He had been involved in a single-vehicle accident.

The officers noticed that he smelled of intoxicants and that his eyes were glazed. He was taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital where he refused treatment.

Smith was then taken to the Hamilton Police Station where he told officers: "Yeah I've been drinking. It's my birthday.'' MAN POSSESSED CANNABIS NEAR SCHOOL CTS Man possessed cannabis near school A Pembroke man paid a heavy price for possessing cannabis near a nursery school.

Chukwune Woods, 19, of Cedar Avenue, admitted yesterday in Magistrates' Court to having the drug on May 1.

Police were on patrol just before 11.30 p.m. when they saw a group of men who appeared to be making a transaction near the junction of Church Street and Court Street.

Police searched Woods and found 0.14 grams of cannabis in a paper twist in his pocket. Duty counsel Kim Wilson told the court Woods was "apologetic'' and was unemployed but "actively'' looking for a job.

Magistrate Edward King fined Woods $200 for the cannabis and added a $1,000 penalty because Woods was within 300 metres of Little Lamb Nursery School.

VICTOR TO SEEK HELP FOR DRUG PROBLEM CTS Visitor to seek help for drug problem Possessing almost three grams of cannabis cost an American visitor $400. John Apicella, of North Carolina, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to possessing 2.83 grams of cannabis.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Phil Taylor said Apicella was searched on the morning of July 10 in Dockyard.

One homemade cigarette was found in his wallet and another five cigarettes were found in a toiletry bag. Apicella told the court that he "plans to attend meetings for his problem when he returns to the US''.