Two siblings were yesterday placed on $100,000 bail each after being charged with escaping lawful custody.
he allegation against Ryan Roberts and Lisa Mangru is that on October 15th, at the Alberttown Police Station, they escaped lawful custody pending a narcotic charge.
Both Mangru and Roberts, who faced separate charges, pleaded not guilty when they appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan.
However, both siblings pleaded guilty to having one gramme of cannabis each in their possession. The drug was found in their possession in the vicinity of Sea Wall Road, where police conducted a search of the vehicle the duo were travelling in.
In representing Mangru and Roberts, attorney Clive Forde told the court that his clients did not escape from police. He said they were told that they were free to go and would be contacted upon the completion of the investigation. He noted that both parties had even supplied their address to the officers before being released.
In relation to the drug charge, Forde asked for lenience for his clients, while noting that they did not seek to waste the court’s time.
However, the prosecution objected to bail being granted on the escape from lawful custody charge, saying that it was quite possible that they would not return to court for trial.
Nevertheless, both parties were released on bail with the condition that they lodge their passports at the Alberttown Police Station until the completion of the matter. The two are expected to return to court on October 29th for the filing of statements in the matter of escaping lawful custody.
Mangru and Roberts were fined $5,000 each and ordered to perform three months of community service for the possession of cannabis.