Frederick gets five years for cocaine possession

Petit Bordel resident, David Frederick, was yesterday sentenced to five years imprisonment, after being found guilty of possession of 18 pounds of cocaine.{{more}}

Chief Magistrate Sonya Young found Frederick guilty on Tuesday, November 8, at the Serious Offences Court.

During the trial, it was heard that police officers were on patrol in the Chateaubelair when they saw Frederick walking with a knapsack along the beach on October 3, 2010.

Apparently recognising police presence, Frederick dropped the bag and ran into the sea. Two officers then pursued Frederick in a small row boat and subsequently apprehended him.

After he was brought to shore, the knapsack was opened in his presence and was found to contain cocaine.

Frederick denied ownership of the bag and stated that the only reason he swam out to sea was because he had marijuana in his possession.

Attorney Arthur Williams told the court that his client had a bag filled with potato pudding and was only in possession of marijuana.

In court yesterday, Williams in mitigation, told the Chief Magistrate that we are close to the season of goodwill and that Christ came as a gift to mankind.

“In the circumstances your worship, the court should be merciful,” Williams submitted.

With a bright smile on her face and a slight chuckle, Chief Magistrate Young told Williams that the quantity of the drug does not warrant a fine. “This is a substantial amount of drugs,” Young said.

The drug was estimated at a street value of EC$162,000(US$60,000). (KW)