Man charged with importing cannabis

A man charged with conspiring to import around $200,000 of cannabis was released on bail yesterday.

Desmond Trott, 21, of St. George's, was charged in Magistrates' Court of conspiring to import cannabis to the Island.

Trott did not put forward a plea yesterday because his attorney, Peter Attridge, said he wanted to receive full disclosure before letting his client decide in which court the matter should be heard.

Trott can choose to have the case heard in either Magistrates' Court or Supreme Court.

Magistrate Juan Wolffe released Trott on $10,000 bail with a surety of a like amount until September 29, when he is to return to Magistrates' Court.

St. George's man fined $2,000 for having cannabis near a school

A St. George's man fined for marijuana possession has been warned another arrest could lead to his imprisonment.

Garrett Morgan, of Anchorage View Road, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to possessing cannabis in an increased penalty zone — less than 300 meters from Paget Primary School.

Crown counsel Larissa Burgess said Police were on patrol on Tribe Road No. Five, in Paget, at 5.50 p.m. on June 3 when they saw the 39-year-old.

Officers said when Morgan noticed them approaching, he dropped a small brown object and started to walk away.

Police stopped Morgan and questioned him. He told the officers that he had only walked away because he needed to urinate, but Police noticed that he was acting nervously, shaking and trembling.

Police then took him back to where he was first seen and checked the object he dropped, which was revealed to be a brown paper twist containing 1.1 grams of cannabis.

In Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, Morgan pleaded guilty and apologised for wasting the court's time, but denied having a drug problem. "I can stop when I want," he said. "I haven't smoked since I was caught. I'm pretty sure I learnt my lesson."

Magistrate Juan Wolffe fined Morgan $1,000 for possessing the cannabis, and another $1,000 for having it in an increased penalty zone, warning him that next time he would likely not escape with a fine.

"You're at a point where you should be facing prison because of your previous convictions," Mr. Wolffe said.

"The next time you appear in this court before me, you will be going to prison."

Magistrate gives suspended sentence to Pembroke man for cursing cops

A 36-year-old was given a conditional discharge after admitting drinking on Front Street and cursing at officers.

Michael Tucker, of Woodlands Road, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court yesterday to drinking in a public place and using offensive words.

According to Crown counsel Cindy Clarke, at around 1 p.m. on July 29, Police saw Tucker walking towards the Hamilton ferry terminal holding a beer bottle and shouting obscenities.

Police took the bottle and went to handcuff Tucker, at which point he shouted: "F**k you Police. You f**kers can't take me."

Ms Clarke said that while being lead to the Hamilton Police Station, Tucker continued to unleash a "barrage of tainted words for all to hear".

Laboratory tests showed that the contents of the beer bottle had an alcohol content of 7.2 percent. In court yesterday, Tucker apologised, but denied shouting any obscenities before he was approached by Police.

"If I said any of that, it was after they had me in handcuffs," he said. "I cursed at the Police. I apologise. I won't let it happen again, that's for sure."

Magistrate Juan Wolffe said his behaviour had been foolish, but noted that Tucker had an otherwise clean record.

Mr. Wolfe gave Tucker a 12 month conditional discharge, saying: "You brought yourself here with your silliness. Now don't come back here in another 36 years for foolishness."