Bequia man fined $4,800 for drug possession

A Bequia resident was fined $4,800 last week Tuesday at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court for having marijuana and cocaine in his possession.

Police say at 6:10 a.m. on August 15, they executed a search warrant at the home of 26-year-old Aldaine Bristol, in relation to a theft that had been reported in the area.{{more}}

During the search, police discovered two containers of cocaine in a bag in a microwave oven. A white plastic bag containing compressed marijuana was also found.

“We need to cast a safety net to catch our young people who are on the brink of falling,” defence lawyer Israel Bruce told the court during mitigation.

Bruce said Bristol is the father of two daughters, aged five and six, with another child on the way with an unemployed girlfriend.

“I do not promote nor encourage the sale or use of illegal drugs,” the attorney said, adding that he speaks sternly to his clients in these cases.

He disclosed that the clanging of the prison cell has been a rude awakening for Bristol, as he had been remanded for 12 days and the court should take into consideration that he co-operated with police.

Bruce asked that the court impose a fine that is “not too hard, not too soft,” so that his client would know that what he had done was wrong.

Bristol was fined $800 to be paid forthwith for possession of three grams of cocaine or spend six months in prison; $3,000 to be paid within three months for possession of 152 grams of cocaine or spend nine months in prison; and $1,000 for 453 grams of cannabis of which $600 was to be paid forthwith and the remaining $400 to be paid within one month or spend three months in prison.(AS)