Man Granted Discharge For Expandable Baton

May 8, 2014

In Magistrates Court this morning [May 8], a 52-year-old man pleaded guilty with an explanation to the charge of possessing an offensive weapon, an expandable baton, in March 2014. He was granted a conditional discharge.

Joseph Weller, who said that was employed as a bartender, told Senior Magistrate Archie Warner that had picked up the baton which was kept behind the bar at the establishment where he worked.

He said that he’d taken it with him that night because, “someone threatened to kill me.” He told the Magistrate that the person he tried to hit was not the same person who had threatened to kill him, but that this second person had physically threatened him.

Prosecutor Garrett Byrne told the Magistrate that on Church Street that night, Mr. Weller had swung at another man.

Confirming that Mr. Weller was still working as a bartender and had successfully completed the TIPS [Training for Intervention ProcedureS] course that is now mandatory for all bartenders, the Magistrate told Mr. Weller that he would not record a criminal conviction against him, but would grant a conditional discharge with twelve months probation.

The Magistrate told Mr. Weller that the conditions were that he must re-take and successfully complete another TIPS course for bartenders and stay out of trouble for the next twelve months.

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Comments (6)

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  1. Terry says:

    If true; justice served.

  2. nuffin but the truth says:

    ‘guilty with an explanation’

    it’s either Guilty or Not Guilty,
    only in Bermuda is this b/s excepted.

    • Hmmm says:

      I would bet it saves a bunch of court time and taxpayer money. If he were to plead not guilty and then explain he would need a new court date. It would add one more case to the already clogged court system, would require the arresting officer to show up (taking him out of his normal job), and end up with the same result.

  3. ABC says:

    dont u 2 have a life

    alaways got answers yet de question still remains

    get life fruitloops geez

    ☻☻☻☻

  4. Terry says:

    and what question is that ABC.
    Please expand and inform.

  5. ummmm says:

    OK…..Change the weapon and see if this explanation still works.
    The baton is on the prohibited list which is SUPPOSED to mean 3 years just for possession then what ever the offence/s are after. The amount of difference between cases is unreal. This weapon can kill. It is on the same list of prohibited weapons as guns etc.
    smh