The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 34-year-old man was ordered to attend drug counselling after he pleaded guilty to crack cocaine possession in court yesterday.

Police arrested Aristotle Smith after they seized $60 worth of crack cocaine from him on September 4.

The court was told officers were on mobile patrol in the Village Road area around 2.50am when they observed a Nissan Cube driving on the road during curfew hours. They beckoned for the vehicle to stop and informed the driver he would be searched in reference to dangerous drugs and firearms. The prosecution said during the search, Smith reached under his left arm and took out three packets which contained suspected cocaine. The court was told the officers recovered three more packets when they later searched Smith.

During the hearing before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes yesterday, Smith pleaded guilty to simple possession and told the magistrate he was struggling with addiction.

As a result, Magistrate Forbes said he would grant the defendant a conditional discharge for 12 months so he could attend drug counselling at the Department of Social Services. Still, he warned Smith if he failed to comply with the conditions of his release, he would be sentenced to three months in prison.

Yesterday, Urica Seymour, 32, and Craig Gibson, 36, also appeared before Magistrate Forbes for a drug related offence.

The two were accused of being in possession of a quantity of Indian hemp which the prosecution said they had to sell. They were further accused of conspiring to possess and import another quantity of marijuana into the country.

During the hearing, Seymour and Gibson denied the allegations and the matter was adjourned to November 24 for trial.

Both defendants were denied bail, however their attorneys said they intended to submit emergency bail applications to the Supreme Court for their clients.