A St. David's man accused of alarming a girl by intruding on her privacy was jailed yesterday for failing to show up for trial.

Melvin Bowen, 29, of Captain Fox's Lane, was supposed to stand trial on Monday, but the case was adjourned when he didn't show up.

Yesterday, Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves remanded Bowen in custody to be tried on the offences ? which are alleged to have taken place February and March last year ? on March 4.

The court heard Bowen's trial was supposed to start at 2.30 p.m. but was adjourned at 3.05 p.m. when the accused failed to show.

Yesterday Bowen claimed he showed up at 3.10 p.m.

His lawyer Leo Mills said: "I beg, I beseech, I implore you not to incarcerate my client."

But Mr. Greaves said: "Thank you very much for your begging and beseeching, but he's still locked up."

A motorist who racked up fines of more than $7,000 was facing jail yesterday when he appeared in Magistrates' Court.

Kiejon Steede, 21, was hauled before Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves for not paying fines of $3,400.

Steede was also fined a further $4,340 for recent traffic offences.

These fines were: $100 for driving without a licence, $500 for perverting the course of justice by giving a false name, $230 for speeding, $50 for not having a licence, $1,000 for driving while disqualified, $1,000 for driving without insurance, $250 for driving an unlicensed bike, $1,000 for driving whilst disqualified, and $210 for speeding.

Mr. Greaves told Steede to pay the outstanding $3,400 immediately or go to jail.

Steede asked for more time, saying he had three people to support on one wage.

But Mr. Greaves told him: "You're very responsible trying to care for three people when you can't take care of yourself. You mess up, you lick up."

He ordered Steede to be taken into custody if he could not pay the $3,400.

A Bermuda Gas employee charged with defrauding the company over a maintenance contract does have a case to answer, a Magistrate has ruled.

Raymond Knight is charged with 18 counts of obtaining money by false pretences over contract to another company to paint gas bottles.

His lawyer Mark Pettingill attempted last week to get the charges quashed on the grounds that there was no case to answer.

But Senior Magistrate William Francis ruled yesterday that there was evidence of over-charging and deception and that the trial should continue.

Delivering his judgment yesterday, Mr. Francis said: "The accused (Knight) had activity sheets and produced the invoices, so why were there over-statements made.

"When I consider these overstatements against the background of deception over the ownership (of the other company), then there is a case to answer."

The trial is set to continue at Magistrates Court on March 1.