in Magistrates' Court, insisting they were merely being harassed by Police.

John W. Edness of Westering Lane, Teiko David Furbert of Rocklands Estate, Swain E. Lightbourne of Uplands Lane and Mark A. Tucker of Tribe Road No. 1 appeared before Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis.

The court heard that on September 9, all four men were found by Police leaning against a wall on the Lines Food Mart and Island Refrigeration property on Ord Road in Warwick.

Police Sgt. Peter Giles, prosecuting, said that `No Trespassing' signs were clearly visible near the men.

Sgt. Giles explained that the owner of Lines Food Mart, Martin Ray, had put up the signs a year ago to discourage illegal drug activities in the area. Each of the men has previous drug convictions.

Furbert objected to having his record read out in court, interrupting Sgt.

Giles by saying: "That's got nothing to do with anything.'' Mr. Francis told him "it's got everything to do with this'', citing the owner's reason for erecting the signs.

All four men questioned the reason for their arrest.

Furbert, 20, said that he had stopped at the store while on his lunch break.

"Two seconds later, they're taking me town,'' he said. "The sergeant saw me pull in. I wasn't hanging around. The bike was still hot when they took me.'' Lightbourne told the court he had been waiting for the bus on the opposite side of the road, but that he had sought shade next to Lines Food Mart because of the heat.

The 26-year-old said he was right next to the main road, "not around the other side where people drink''.

Both Edness, 26, and Tucker, 24, complained there were other people sitting right below one of the signs who were not charged.

Tucker told the court that he was on his way into the shop to buy diapers for his daughter when he was arrested.

"Why can't I buy Pampers without being taken to town?'' he asked. Mr. Francis said that the owner of the property had a right to post the signs to keep people from loitering, "particularly people with drug convictions''.

The Senior Magistrate also said that if "anybody puts a toe on the property, they will be charged with trespassing''.

Each of the men was fined $100.

Furbert also answered to a charge of marine speeding on a jet ski. Sgt. Giles said that on July 17, Furbert was stopped by Marine Police for travelling more than five knots near Cobbler's Cut in Pembroke.

He was fined $150.