A Long Wall resident, who has continued to beat charges brought against him over the last few years, has once again found himself before the Serious Offences Court.

This time, Collin “Cocoa” David appeared before Rechanne Browne-Matthias at the Serious Offences Court yesterday, five months after his last arrest, with gun and ammunition charges.

He is charged that on May 5, 2017, at Kingstown, he had in his possession one Canik 9mm Semi Automatic pistol serial number T6472- 16 Ap 19974 and on that same day and place he had 36 rounds of 9mm ammunition, both without a licence issued under the Firearms Act.

Another male who was brought to court with David faced similar charges.

Belair resident Gershon Colewoods is charged that on May 5, 2017, at Kingstown, he had in his possession one .38 Taurus revolver, serial number 542285, and on that same day and place he had 15 rounds of .38 ammunition, both without a licence issued under the Firearms Act.

They were not required to enter a plea, as the charges were indictable.

However, the Crown did not object to bail and both men, who are represented by defence attorney Grant Connell, were granted bail in the sum of $50,000 with one surety.

They also have identical bail conditions.

David and Colewoods are to report to the Calliaqua Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and have been placed on a curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

They were also ordered to surrender all travel documents.

David’s arrest comes after he was released from police custody on January 3, 2017.

The Long Wall man had turned himself in to police on December 31, 2016, after the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (SVGPF) issued a release stating that David and Jomorni ‘Small Man’ Tash were wanted by police in connection with an alleged drive-by shooting in Murray Village the night before.

Both Tash and David turned themselves in to police that same day, accompanied by their lawyers Kay Bacchus-Browne and Michaela Ambrose respectively.

Tash was released after questioning, but David was charged for assaulting his child’s mother, a charge that didn’t stick after the mother told magistrate Bertie Pompey at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court that she did not wish to proceed with the matter.

The accusations by police came three months after David was released from police custody after an attempted murder charge against him was dismissed.

David was sent before the High Court in 2015, charged with the attempted murder of Police Constable 843 Julanie Jack and for robbing Cleopatra Wilson, a postal corporation worker of EC$102,000 on June 13, 2013, while being armed with a gun.

David also beat a murder charge in 2012, when he was charged with shooting Ashley Seymour Warren, a fruit vendor from Long Wall in 2009.

Seven months after he was freed of Warren’s murder charge, David was charged with the murder of Jahjust Devon Steele, who was gunned down in Rose Place on May 5, 2013. David also shared this charge with Tash.

However, both men were cleared of the charge in 2015, when Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Colin Williams made the decision to discontinue the matter. (AS)