Antiguan fisherman gets three years

One of two Antiguan nationals was on Monday sentenced to three years imprisonment on a number of charges heard at the Serious Offences Court on Monday.

Arnold Browne, a 28-year-old fisherman was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment for having a .38 revolver without a licence. For having one round of .45 ammunition in his possession he received three months and for 11 rounds of .38 ammunition he was sentenced to one year. Browne is also on another charge of wounding Dennison Hillocks of Barrouallie on January 9.{{more}}

His counterpart Cobert Jeffery, 50, also a Fisherman, was charged with “entering the state without notifying Customs of their expected time of arrival and being the master of a speed boat did unlawfully permit the said boat to dock at a place other than the customs port”. For his actions, Chief Magistrate Simone Churaman fined Jeffery $1000 for being the master of the boat and a further $750 to be paid forthwith or spend six months in jail.

The men are said to have docked their speedboat at the Petit Bordel Bay on January 8 and took refuge at the home of William Hooper. When the facts were read, it stated that Browne made a trip to Barrouallie and went to the shop of Dennison Hillocks where an argument ensued between both men, which resulted in Hillocks being shot in the chest and left elbow.

The matter was then reported to the police and investigations led them to William Hooper’s home where both Browne and Jeffery were staying. A search uncovered a travelling bag with the illegal items in it. Browne was cautioned and replied, “Everything is mine, all ah dem is mine.”

Defense Attorney Lawyer Grant Connel said that his client (Jeffery) only came to these shores because of an engine problem he encountered while fishing. He further stated that the boat went adrift and that he was only trying to fix it and leave immediately. Connell asked Magistrate Churaman to impose a minimum penalty on his client.

Lawyer Bertram Stapleton suggested that his client (Browne) be fined instead of a custodial sentence. Stapleton said that it makes no sense that we have a non-national languishing in our prisons and that they should not be using taxpayers money. He pointed out that the only reason why the firearm was aboard was the fact that it was used for protection from persons who might try to rob them while fishing.