By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
A 39-year-old man was ordered to attend drug counselling classes for six months after police found him with two grams of marijuana last month.
Police arrested Mark Prudhome on March 31 after they saw him smoking the drugs.
He pleaded guilty to the offence during his hearing before Magistrate Shaka Serville on Friday.
When asked how long he’s been a drug user, the accused told the court he has smoked marijuana since the late 1990’s.
“I ain’t gone do it no more. I gone stop,” he said, while asking the court for leniency.
In response, Magistrate Serville told the accused that it appeared that he had a drug problem, pointing to his past convictions which were also of a similar nature.
Asked if he wanted help to assist with his drug addiction, Prudhome said he did.
As a result, he was ordered to attend drug counseling classes and get treatment at the Community Counselling and Assessment Centre (CCAC) for a period of six months.
Before the accused was released, the magistrate warned him that failure to comply with the conditions of his release would result in a $250 fine or one month in prison.
Also appearing in court on Friday was 19-year-old Uriah Ingraham Jr.
The teenager was arrested after police claim they found him with a Taurus 40 mm pistol and four unfired rounds of ammunition on March 30.
During his hearing before Magistrate Serville, Ingraham denied the offences.
However, when given the chance to speak in court, he said he found the gun in question several weeks ago and was contemplating whether he should turn the weapon in. Ultimately, he said he didn't do so out of fear.
“I could guarantee that I’m not the person who be carrying around guns,” he said, describing himself as ambitious.
Having listened to his explanation, Magistrate Serville asked the accused whether he wished to change his plea, to which he replied “no.”
The magistrate then told him that if he wished to do so, he would be able to.
As a result, the case was adjourned to Monday, April 4.
Bail was also deferred until then to allow the prosecutor to determine whether the accused had any prior convictions.
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