Man Fined $500 For “Five Spliffs”
A 19-year-old who claimed that he did not use ‘herb’ and was only carrying, as the Magistrate later put it, “five spliffs”, escaped having his three month suspended prison sentence activated and was fined $500 this morning [Feb.28] in Magistrates Court.
The DPP’s Carrington Mahoney offered evidence that Stevon Swan-Richardson was the pillion passenger and had run away when a cycle was stopped by Police on 21 September 2010 on East Shore Road in Sandy’s parish.
Chased and caught by Police, Mr Richardson was found to have five plastic bags of plant material in his possession. Police accused him of being in possession of an illegal drug, confiscated the sachets, and after investigation and analysis found that they contained a total 1.8 grams of cannabis.
Having pleaded guilty to the subsequent charge of possession of an illegal drug, Mr Richardson, in his defence said that he was only carrying the drugs for his cousin; saying that his cousin was one of ‘those guys’ who couldn’t come out of Somerset.
Mr Richardson also said that he does not use ‘herb’, is free to come and go as he pleases, and plays football all over the Island. He said that he played for Somerset Trojans.
Questioned by Magistrate Juan Wollfe as to why he had failed to appear for an earlier scheduled Court appearance on 7th September 2010, Mr Richardson said: “My Nana had medical problems and I was in Boston with her.”
The Magistrate remarked several times that he found it incongruous that Mr Richardson had carried the drugs, was now in deep trouble with the Courts, and yet his cousin had not seen fit to attend and support him. Saying that as a young footballer with some promise, Mr Richardson was on the verge of throwing away a possible career as a “West Ham” professional footballer.
The Magistrate pressed for an explanation from Mr Richardson as to why he had taken such a a risk and had carried the stuff for his cousin who had not even had the decency to show up in Court and support him. Mr Richardson had no answers.
Reviewing Mr Richardson’s record, the Magistrate found that on 23rd September 2010, Mr Richardson had been placed on probation and had been given a three month prison sentence, suspended for twelve months.
Ruling that because this offence had occurred before the 23rd September Court award, the Magistrate said that he could not activate the suspended sentence. He then awarded Mr Richardson a $500 fine for possession with a fifty day jail sentence in lieu.
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“West Ham”. Oh the irony in that………
As for the ‘cousin’ part….
LOL he doesn’t use….look at his FB pic!
Laughing My As* Way Off Rite Now – all on FB with that pic! cheesh bye…. somebody needs to clue in these magistrate cause they’re coming off soft like butta.
RIGHT! LOL and that took all of 1 minute to find and yet the courts didn’t bother, morons!
I just looked… got a thing in his mouth and all!!!! Such a pro foot baller!
They can’t be serious because obviously it wasn’t for his “cousin”. So because these guys play football they get no sentence? SMH. No wonder Bermuda sucks at every sport anyway and don’t win anything all those guys do is smoke and drink unfit and thug wannabes.
Savemefrom……Ease off, ok!!!!
That picture was taken when he was thanking the Media (names excluded) for allowing the Medics to give him a thermometor during a training practce. He felt high and confused.
And those fingers pointing?
Right back at you.
Sad fb page!!! Don’t think “West Ham” will want any parts of that.
The Magistrate got played because there is no one by that name who plays for Somerset Trojans. Believe that!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The magistrate did not get played, the boy was penalized by the law…
Ok I looked at his facebook page… The magistrate got played bad!!!
….court is in recess pending facebook screening, Somerset Trojan roster, and drug test results….
that would make too much sense in our justice system!! i’m sure we’ll be seeing him again!