A man was yesterday fined $5,000 after pleading guilty to possession of one gramme of cannabis.
Trevor Forde was found with the drug at a Stag Beer promotional show at the Merriman’s Mall on February 21.
When he appeared before Magistrate Alan Wilson at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, Forde pleaded guilty but initially denied that the drug was his property.
Police Prosecutor Kerry Bostwick said that at about 11:30 pm, Forde was entering the show at Merriman’s Mall when a search was conducted on his person and the cannabis was found, leading to his arrest.
Forde told the court that he was about to enter the place, when a person behind him dropped a Ziploc bag and the police picked it up and told him that it was his.
Magistrate Wilson then asked him why he was taking ownership for something that was not his.
Forde then told the court that the substance belonged to him and that he had been using cannabis for 38 years.
The magistrate told him to stop using the substance, which Forde agreed to. He was then fined $5,000 and ordered to do three days of community service.
