Pair Charged With Unlawfully Entering Prison
A teenager and a 62 year old man were remanded into custody after appearing in Magistrates Court this morning [Nov 21] on charges of unlawfully entering Westgate Correctional Facility.
Tyler Christopher [17] and Chesterfield Johnson [62] will spend the next week behind bars after initially pleading guilty, but having their guilty pleas rejected by Senior Magistrate Archie Warner.
In today’s session, after they pleaded guilty to trespassing inside Westgate around 11am on 19th November the pair offered a defense.
They said that in a 16 foot boat that they had driven from Riddell’s Bay, they had gone to the beach on the west side of Westgate and that Christopher had gone ashore in order to get some sand off the beach.
The men’s story was that the sand was to be used in making ‘chum’ for the fishing trip that they were supposed to be on that day.
Christopher denied the Crown’s assertion that he had gone ten feet inside the Westgate razor wire and was clearly within Westgate’s perimeter.
Johnson admitted being the boat driver but said that he did not know that the area chosen for collecting the sand was out of bounds. Both said that they saw no razor wire.
According to the Crown Prosecutor, the boat had been observed approaching the area; prison staff with a K-9 unit had responded; Christopher was seen to run off and re-board the boat which had then proceeded towards Grey’s Bridge.
The boat was kept under observation and Marine Police eventually caught the boat and the men off Morgan’s Point.
The Senior Magistrate remanded the teenager to the COED facility and Johnson to Westgate. The pair will be brought back to face a full trial on 26th November 2013.
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- Two Males Convicted Of Trespassing Into Prison | Bernews.com | November 28, 2013
LMAO.. they went to go get Sand!
Told you people they heard about the big Christmas dinner West Gate Prison serving in 35 days. HO HO HO
What the hell?
Well I am sure the must have seen some razor wire at some stage.
They sure as hell did not climb over it.
Good call Archie on the ‘Guilty plea’.
Probably some no trespassing signs but they did not enter a secure area per sey.
What a waste of money.
I’m guessing they want to be in prison? LMAOO
Maybe they were delivery men, who the hell breaks into mprison
Johnson…. name rings a bell. It should ring a bell with all of Bermuda.
We could make a show on this content!! It’ll be like the opposite of “Prison Break”
One of the names makes my bulb light up.
Trying to get back into his house maybe?
Don’t you all jump to conclusions!
Mr. Christopher is an “apprentice” of Mr. Johnson. They were in the middle of Beach Landing 101 when interrupted by police.
We were all told to learn new skills in this economic climate and Christopher and Johnson were merely playing their respective parts.
LOL
A serious question: do people use sand to make chum??
Yes they do use sand. They mix the bait with it.
Ridiculous
I bet Archie said to himself,
Biggest load of Bollocks I’ve heard in years!
This is the only place on the island to find sand!
Awww Westgate property includes a beach which “could” be used coming, going, for recreation? How lovely!
Bring back Casemates which had an excellent view for some.
Seriously, a dog could patrol that area supplemented by motion on perimeter security cameras.
Next court date, social inquiry, etc. Innocent or not incident will be expensive to all.
Just a reminder, as we are deleting tons of comments for legal reasons, there are restrictions while a case is still underway….can’t assume guilt, mention any past incidents if they exist etc. Sorry!
Cant be serious? WTH…
The things you learn …
I think its just fantastic that Bermuda can boast it has so many beaches, even its prison has a private beach with the most amazing sand.
dumb and dumber
Isn’t there some law about land being public upto the high tide water mark?
IF THESE TWO MEN WHERE FOUND WITH DRUGS AND OR WEAPONS ON THEM I COULD SEE THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY
WHERE NOT FOUND WITH ANYTHING ON THEM, SO IT DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE THAT THEY WHERE TRYING TO BREAK INTO WESTGATE
these so called judges are unfit for there post