Three and a half years for gun, ammo charge

Sheon Veira Anderson is into the fourth day of his three-and-a-half year prison sentence for gun and ammunition possession.

Anderson, 37, a mechanic of Lowmans Windward was found guilty at the Serious Offences Court on Tuesday for having six rounds of nine-millimeter ammunition and an unlicensed semi automatic nine-millimeter pistol.{{more}}

He was also charged along with a 15-year-old girl who pleaded guilty to the charges but her sentencing was deferred to a later date.

The court heard that at about 12.20 a.m. on March 14, 2007, PC 93 Bailey was among a party of Rapid Response Unit (RRU) and narcotics personnel to execute a search warrant at the home and premises of the defendant.

During the search the police took the defendant into his bedroom and on entering the room, his girlfriend was met crying on the bed. PC Bailey asked her to sit up and a black magazine containing six rounds of ammunition was found. A further search found the nine-millimeter pistol under the bed mattress.

Both defendants were cautioned and Anderson replied, “Officer ah mine, my girlfriend has nothing to do with it.” They were both arrested and taken to the Central Police Station.

Anderson told the court that he did not have any knowledge of the gun being present. But in a statement given to the police by Anderson, he stated that he had brought the gun from St Lucia to protect himself because he was under serious threat of losing his life. He further added that he received a call while in St Lucia that some masked men came to his house asking for him and hence his decision to get the gun.