Bermuda Shorts
Cyclist admits injuring passenger
A man who was left in a coma for three weeks after a serious road crash expressed relief after the man responsible for it pleaded guilty.
Daniel Wilks suffered serious leg injuries, two punctured lungs, broken ribs, a broken back and a broken shoulder blade in the collision on South Road, Southampton, on April 13, 2008.
He was riding pillion on a motorcycle being driven by his friend of 15 years, Shawn Gibson, when it collided with a car coming in the opposite direction.
Gibson, 35, from Southampton, had denied a charge of causing grievous bodily harm while impaired up until he was due to go on trial at Supreme Court yesterday morning, when he changed his plea to guilty.
Two other charges of driving while impaired and failing to comply with a demand for a breath sample were ordered to lie on file. Gibson – who suffered a broken pelvis and nose in the crash – will return to court on December 1 for his sentence date to be fixed.
Speaking after the hearing, Mr. Wilks, 27, said he's had to have multiple operations since the crash and still faces more. He's been unable to work at his painting job since it happened and says he and Gibson are "definitely not friends" any more.
He admits he was drunk on the night in question and knew Gibson was impaired by alcohol when he got on the bike.
"I almost died," he said. "I feel absolutely wonderful that he pleaded guilty. He wasted a lot of time saying not guilty."
He declined to give his view on what type of sentence he would like to see Gibson handed, but commented: "I just want to be reimbursed for my pain and suffering and for being off work for the last one-and-a-half years."
Supreme Court drug importation trial begins
A man was caught smuggling almost $59,000 worth of cannabis into Bermuda in his suitcase, a jury has heard.
Opening the case against Tyshaon Rawlins at Supreme Court yesterday, Crown counsel Takiyah Burgess said he arrived on a JetBlue flight from New York on June 2.
He had two suitcases with him, and eight slabs of cannabis were found under the lining of one of them when they were X-rayed by customs officers.
Ms Burgess said Rawlins was arrested and questioned, during which he stated that the contents of the packages was marijuana worth around $1,000.
The actual street value of the cannabis was $58,700, according to her.
She went on to explain that when Rawlins was interviewed by the Police the next day: "He switched his story out, changed it around. He said he didn't know about the drugs in his bag, he didn't know what they were."
Rawlins, 24, of Southampton, denies drug importation and possession with intent to supply.
The first witness for the prosecution was customs officer Michael Sousa, who found the drugs. He told the court that immediately after the discovery was made, Rawlins claimed he'd been "set up" by his cousin.
The case continues.
Report ordered in cycle stealing case
A 20-year-old St. David's man yesterday denied stealing a bike, insisting he took it from a thief in order to return it to its rightful owner.
Llewellyn Rogers, of St. David's Road, pleaded not guilty in Magistrates' Court to stealing a black Honda cycle.
The bike, along with a helmet and a jacket, was taken from Gombey's Restaurant and Bar.
According to Crown Counsel Cindy Clarke, Police investigating the burglary visited Rogers' home and saw the cycle outside the house. When questioned, he told officers: "I took the bike for my uncle."
She said Rogers told officers that the night before he was at a party when he noticed someone riding the stolen bike. Recognising the vehicle, he talked to the rider and convinced him to give him the bike.
He said he then drove the bike home, intending to return it to the owner, but said that officers came before he had the chance.
Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner ordered a Social Inquiry Report and released Rogers on $2,000 bail with one surety. Rogers was ordered to return to court on December 11.
Man fined $1,000 for fighting
One man has been fined and another will stand trial after a fight in Hamilton.
Jeff Richardson, 28, from Devon Springs, Devonshire, and Ibe Todd, 37, from Pearman's Hill, Warwick, both appeared in Magistrates' Court yesterday following the brawl, in Washington Street, Hamilton, which left Todd with a cut to his chest and Richardson with a swollen and bruised face.
According to Crown Counsel Cindy Clarke, Police responded to the fight at 9.48 a.m. and saw Todd repeatedly punching Richardson in the face. Despite repeated warnings by officers, the pair had to be separated with Captor spray.
Richardson pleaded guilty to his involvement, but Todd told the court he was only acting in self-defence, saying: "I was defending myself. He hit me first. I ain't going down like that."
Richardson admitted throwing the first punch, but said he did it because he thought Todd was going to hit him.
"He came to me in a hostile way. I did not want to fight him," he said.
Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner fined Richardson $1,000 for his involvement in the fight, while Todd was ordered to be remanded in custody until his trial date on November 10.
Driver who had 'two Heinekens'
A man caught drink-driving claimed he had only drunk "two Heinekens".
Miguel Butterfield, 27, was stopped by Police in Somerset Road, Sandys, at 3.30 a.m. on October 4. He admitted impaired driving in Magistrates' Court when he appeared on Thursday.
Crown counsel Carrington Mahoney said: "The defendant was asked to step off his motorcycle, which he did, and officers noticed he smelt of intoxicants. His speech was slurred when answering questions and he was unsteady on his feet."
Asked if he had been drinking, Butterfield told Police: "Yes, I had two Heinekens".
However, when they arrested him on suspicion of impaired driving, he said: "You foreigners can't come here and treat me like this."
Police took Butterfield to Somerset Police Station to take a breath sample. In a Police interview on October 10, he admitted: "I am sorry for what I have done. I didn't think I was drunk. I regret what I did."
The defendant, a Ministry of Works and Engineering employee from Paget, told the court: "I wasn't unsteady on my feet at the time and my speech was not slurred.
"Those guys were hungry and wanted somebody to take. They came after me and stopped me and tried to make it look like I was trying to harass them."
Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner fined him $1,000 and imposed a year's driving ban and ten points on his licence.
