Two brothers pleaded guilty when they went before Magistrate Douglas Frederick earlier this week.
But while one, who was already given community service, was fined $750, payable in one month, a pre-sentencing report was ordered on the other.
Seth Nathaniel Ash, a 25-year-old electrical technician, confessed to possession, trafficking, cultivation and intent to supply one pound of marijuana on Wednesday. Ash returns to court on January 15, when his report is to be presented to the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court.
Meanwhile, Ash’s younger brother, 21-year-old Rornell Jeremy Malcolm, admitted to knowingly handling cannabis on the same date.
The court heard from Station Sergeant Neville Watson that police acted on information and executed a warrant at Ash’s 1st Avenue Thomas Land, Barbarees Hill, St Michael home.
While at the premises, police found one plant suspended on a string inside a wardrobe and another in the yard. Ash admitted that both were his.
The first-time offender apologised for “wasting the court’s time”.
“I could have avoided it from the beginning by never starting to deal with it.”
When Magistrate Frederick asked Ash why he began using the drugs and what he was planning to do with a pound of cannabis, Ash replied: “Tell the truth I don’t know. I would have used it, but I never intended to sell it.”
He also said he did not intend to return before the court because “I have priorities and I have to stay out of trouble for my daughter’s sake.”
When he was asked about hanging the plant in the wardrobe, Ash explained that that was part of the curing process.
“So the next step would be to sell?” the magistrate asked.
“If you choose to,” Ash replied.
Malcolm told the court he was at home cleaning when police showed up. He remembered that his brother had a marijuana plant in the yard, “so I run and pull it up and pelt it way”.
He said when police questioned him about what he had done, he told them because “I say it ain’t mek no sense telling lies cause they gine still find out”.
When the magistrate asked him why he hadn’t spoken to his older brother about his wrongdoing, Malcom said he and Ash were, “supposed to get rid of it”, but had not done so as yet.