A young man with a bright future ahead was told today he deserved some good licks for almost blowing the opportunity his parents were providing for him by taking up smoking marijuana and finding himself before the law courts.
Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant had these stern words for the 23-year-old St James resident who appeared before her in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court today after police caught him on Saturday smoking a spliff at Holborn Circle, St Michael.
Recognizing the scent of marijuana, the lawmen approached the young man who dropped the cigarette on the ground and destroyed it. The court heard he was subjected to a search which revealed he had a loose quantity of marijuana in his pocket as well.
Today, his attorney John Collymore informed the court that instead of being a first offender as was suggested, his client had actually been before the court five months ago on two similar charges, which had arisen out of the same circumstances. He was fined $1,000 and $2,000, respectively.
After Magistrate Cuffy-Sargeant thanked the lawyer for updating the court, Collymore went on to say that his client had benefited from a “sound secondary education” and should be given every opportunity to continue pursuing his education.
Collymore explained that while his client was “doing nonsense on Spring Garden”, his parents were “trying to get him out of this rut” by finalizing plans to get him into a college in England. “His actions were silly and had nothing to do with neglect of good parenting,” Collymore emphasized.
At that stage the Magistrate turned to the accused and said to him: “You really want some good licks though.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied.
When the young man’s father, who returned here from England yesterday, was questioned, he told the court that he had successfully enrolled his son in a college and had also arranged a job and accommodation for him. He added that the young man was due to travel to England later this month.
“You understand the burden you have placed on your parents?” the Magistrate asked.
“I know that I messed up ma’am and I am really sorry,” he said.
“This could easily have blown your chances . . . If you come back before me, it is not going to be like this,” Cuffy-Sargeant sternly warned him.
“I am open to giving second chances,” she said.
However, when the young man thanked her, the Magistrate responded by saying: “Come back in the next couple of years and show me a degree. That’s the thanks I want.”
He was reprimanded and discharged.
“You can go,” Cuffy-Sargeant told the young man.
As he was rushing through the court door, she said to him: “But I didn’t hear you tell your father thanks.”
“Oh, thanks, Dad,” he replied, as he hugged his father before exiting.