MAN RECEIVES $750 FINE FOR DRUG POSSESSION - AFTER MUCH THOUGHT

Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves pondered the appropriate
punishment for a 21-year-old man he felt was a drug supplier after he
admitted possessing cannabis during a session in Magistrates' Court earlier
this week.

Duty counsel Veronica Daley asked Mr. Greaves to consider alternatives to
incarceration for Freemont Swan, pointing out his "tender age" of 21.

However Mr. Greaves said that being young was not an excuse for his
actions. Ms Daley also asked that a social inquiry be done on the Fentons
Drive, Pembroke man to "get to the root of the problem".

But Mr. Greaves denied the request saying: "He's a supplier, come on."

"He's been convicted of possession. That's a bit of a jump from possession
to supplying," Ms Daley contended.

Mr. Greaves then asked her what the sentence should be. "What can I do to
him? I'm trying to think of something."

He laughed at the idea of giving Swan community service, saying: "That
sounds dangerous to me, unless you're going to send him to the fields of
Ecuador. What are we going to do - give him probation? He'll start laughing
so hard if we use that word with him. You're only pretending if you think
he just doesn't know what the evils of drugs are. Re-education isn't an
option. He'll only learn more about the evils of drugs, and the secrets of
the business - find a way to make more money."

Mr. Greaves continued: "You'll have to sentence him to church. Get him
baptised or something else and wash his sins, as those Christians would say.

"Look, we just have to accept that there are some people we have to send to
jail. Otherwise, we might as well shut them all down."

The Crown told Mr. Greaves they were not necessarily seeking incarceration
for Swan, to which he replied: "Leave the sentencing to me."

Mr. Greaves finally decided to fine the man $750.

Crown counsel Juan Wolfe said Swan was arrested on March 20. At 3.20 p.m.,
Swan was standing at the junction of Court and Elliot Streets when a marked
Police car stopped nearby.

Officers said Swan looked at the vehicle, put his hand in his pants pocket
and ran away.

The defendant was followed and searched at the nearby Jamaican Grill. Found
during the search was a hand-rolled cigarette containing plant-like
material. Police analysts found the substance to be 0.18 grams of cannabis.