JAILED FOR ONE JOINT

JP Is Slammed For Remanding John In Prison

A CONTROVERSIAL magistrate has been slammed for locking up a man caught
with a piece of cannabis smaller than a pea.

Graeme Rennie's decision was branded an abuse of power and cost taxpayers
thousands of pounds.

John Munro, 24, ended up in the district court after being caught with 0.7
grammes of cannabis, barely enough for one joint.

The computer worker was stunned when Mr Rennie, a hotel owner and former
Tory Councillor with no formal legal training, ordered him to be remanded
in Glasgow's Barlinnie jail.

Justice of the Peace Mr Rennie has attracted controversy before - for
jailing a depressed woman who stole two Pot Noodles.

John was stopped by police for having a faulty brake light on his car.
Officers searched his car and found the cannabis, worth pennies, in a tin.

Most police forces have adopted a policy of warning but not prosecuting
cannabis users caught with small amounts of the drug.

But John was cited to appear at Ayr District Court on a possession charge.

He pleaded guilty and JP Rennie deferred sentence for social inquiry
reports and warned John he could face prison. When the case was recalled
three weeks later, John was still trying to arrange a meeting with social
work staff.

Mr Rennie deferred the case again but this time remanded him in prison for
three weeks. The decision shocked court staff and police officers, who
helped John get a solicitor.

Speaking at his country cottage at Hollybush, near Ayr, yesterday, John
said: "It was a terrible experience. That man should not be sitting in
judgement on anybody.

"It was a wee piece of cannabis in a tin. I had forgotten it was there.

"I went along to the court to plead guilty by myself, expecting a fine."

And John said of being locked up: "I was numbed. Even the police couldn't
believe it. They took me in a van to Ayr Sheriff Court and somebody
arranged for a solicitor to see me."

Lawyer Ian Gillies decided to lodge an appeal. He said: "I felt it was a
totally outrageous decision for Mr Munro to be remanded in custody for
three weeks."

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord MacFadyen ruled that JP Rennie's
remand had been excessive and ordered John's release.

But by then, John had spent six days in Barlinnie.

His lawyer added: "When you add up his time in prison, the paperwork, the
High Court time and the use of counsel to lodge an appeal, this would
probably have cost the taxpayer over UKP 2000 (UKP)."

When John eventually appeared before a different JP after a social inquiry
report had been compiled, sentence was deferred for a year for good behaviour.

Law experts said the case damaged the reputation of district courts, which
deal with minor crimes such as speeding, shoplifting and breach of the peace.

The chairman of the Scottish Human Rights Centre, John Scott, who is also
an advocate, said Mr Rennie's decision to remand John was one of the worst
abuses of court power he had encountered..

He said: "That JP was out of line. To jail somebody for having such a tiny
piece of cannabis is not acceptable. This was a waste of time and resources."

Last year, the Mail told how Mr Rennie had jailed Carol Robertson, who
stile two Pot Noodles.

Carol, who had spent 12 weeks in hospital being treated for depression, was
locked up for 14 days for failing to pay a UKP 50 (UKP) fine for the theft.

Ayr MP Sandra Osborne said: "At the time of the Carol Robertson case, I
wrote to the procurator fiscal in Ayr complaining about Mr Rennie.

"After his treatment of Mr Munroe, I will again contact the relevant
authorities, asking them to look at whether this man is fit to sit on the
bench."

Mr Rennie said: "I have no comment"