The charges of unlawful possession of arms and ammunition and harbouring a wanted man against Michelle Davis were dismissed at the Wales Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
After considering submissions by both the prosecution and the defence, Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton handed down her decision and dismissed the three charges stating that the prosecution had failed to prove their case.
Davis had faced charges of harbouring a wanted man, illegal possession of arms and illegal possession of ammunition. It was alleged that on June 28, 2007 at Lot 91 Parfait, La Grange, Davis knowingly harboured Terrence Sugrim whose name and photograph had been publicly displayed or published by the police as a wanted person for the purpose of extradition to the US, in connection with the alleged commission of the offence of conspiracy to traffic in narcotics.
It is also alleged that on the said date and place Davis had in her possession two firearms, that is to say, one .32 Taurus Pistol (serial number FUH 83964) and a .32 Walther Pistol number 452067 without being the holder of a firearm licence. Further, it is alleged that on the same date and place, she had in her possession 75 rounds of .32 ammunition and 85 12-gauge cartridges without being the holder of a firearm licence.
Davis had denied the charges and the matter was heard before the Magistrate. She had previously been charged along with Sugrim, who is her reputed husband, but the charges against him were withdrawn. However, the charges were later re-instituted against him twice but on both occasions they were discharged in the Magistrate’s courts.
Following submissions by Davis’s defence team consisting of Hukumchand, Vic Puran and Sonia Parag and a response by the prosecution led by Corporal Jacqueline Skinner, the magistrate set yesterday for ruling. Davis was present in court.
Sugrim is wanted by the US authorities to face trial for allegedly conspiring to traffic in narcotics and in June 2007 he and Davis had been arrested in a police operation. The guns and ammunition were found in the attic in their home and the charges were instituted.
