Lowmans man jailed for illegal gun

Thirty-one-year-old Desmond Holder of Lowmans Hill was sentenced to three months in prison Tuesday for firearms possession.

Appearing before the Serious Offences Court, Holder pleaded guilty to possessing a .38 Smith and Wesson revolver without licence.

Holder was arrested by plain clothes policemen on duty at Gibson Corner around 6 p.m. Monday.{{more}}

Police said motor vehicle TJ971, a white sales van, was stopped and Holder was seen sitting to the left of the driver. Both men were asked to alight the vehicle when a search conducted on Holder revealed the firearm. Police said the revolver was not loaded.

Asked by Chief Magistrate Simone Churaman if he had anything to say, Holder replied in the negative. Asked if he had any reason for possessing the firearm, he replied that he had picked it up at a bus stop.

Chief Magistrate Churaman, on imposing sentence on Holder, said she took into account the fact that he pleaded guilty to the offence, the firearm was not loaded and the fact that he had no record of previous convictions for related crimes. She said the penalty would have been more severe if not for those mitigating circumstances.