Stealing a Nike track suit did not make an admitted drug user speedy enough to avoid being caught by Police as the 25-year-old man appeared in court yesterday to face a slew of charges.

Dakari Ajamu Hollis, 25, of Radnor Close, Hamilton Parish, first elected trial in Magistrates' Court for a charge of stealing the navy blue track suit valued at $97.95 from the Sports Locker.

The court heard Hollis took the track suit from the store at about 3.15 p.m.

on March 2. The theft was witnessed by another customer and Police found Hollis later that afternoon carrying the track suit in a white, plastic bag.

When asked about the track suit, he told Police: "Yeah, I admit it. I stole it.'' Senior Magistrate Archie Warner fined Hollis $500 for stealing the item.

Hollis then pleaded guilty to two drug charges -- possession of cannabis and possession of drug equipment -- and obstructing P.c. John White.

The court heard P.c. White was off duty in Freddie's Pub in St. George's on October 4 when he found Hollis rolling plant material into a cigarette in the toilet.

When the officer revealed his Police uniform, Hollis scattered the plant material on the floor, the court heard.

Hollis then refused to be searched and began backing out of the bathroom and pushing P.c. White away.

P.c. White noticed he was concealing a small, yellow envelope in his right hand but Hollis continued to struggle to leave the bar and refused to turn it over.

He then threw the envelope at P.c. White and left the bar. The officer found it contained plant material and followed Hollis before notifying on-duty Police officers outside of the incident.

They chased after and caught Hollis who was searched. Three cigarette papers were found and Government analysts later found that the envelope contained 0.62 grams of cannabis.

"The marijuana was for personal use,'' Hollis told Senior Magistrate Archie Warner yesterday. He added that he did not know P.c. White was a Police officer.

"I thought he was gay,'' he said. "This guy comes in fixing his zipper and he's as drunk as I am.'' Hollis then tried to accuse P.c. White of entrapment. "This guy is white and anyone who is black he follows into the bathroom,'' he said. "That's like entrapment.'' Mr. Warner fined Hollis $300 for possessing cannabis, $200 for drug equipment and $500 for obstructing the officer.

But Hollis still had more wrong-doing to answer for -- he also had $510 in outstanding traffic fines.

Mr. Warner said Hollis had to pay the entire $2,010 he owed immediately or do the time required for default.