A college student has been given an absolute discharge for using a stolen credit card after a night of heavy drinking.

In Magistrates' Court yesterday, Javon Richardson, 20, of Spruce Lane, Pembroke admitted receiving a Bank One credit card knowing it was stolen and using it to attempt to buy $49.70 worth of goods from Esso City Tigermart on Richmond Road.

However, the credit card was rejected at the store because the owner had already cancelled it, the court heard.

Crown counsel Shakira Dill told the court that the complainant left her purse unattended at Ozone nightclub on September 4. When she returned to it her card was missing along with more than $100 in cash.

Ms Dill said an unidentified woman used the card at the club to make a $22 purchase.

Duty counsel Llewellyn Peniston said that Richardson was too drunk to remember what happened that night and that it was not a normal pattern of behaviour for the defendant.

He added that Richardson was on a full scholarship at DeVry University in Atlanta, Georgia and planned to return on Monday.

Mr. Peniston asked Senior Magistrate Archie Warner to give Richardson as lenient a sentence as possible.

Mr. Warner said that the proper course would be for him to order a social inquiry report and adjourned the matter until the report was completed.

However, he said if he took this course of action it may be detrimental to the defendant considering the report takes weeks to complete and Richardson is in school.

Richardson told the court that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and said: “I'm not really sure what occurred that night.”

Mr. Warner said: “Bearing in mind the intent and effect of the Criminal Code Amendment Act 2001 Sections 53 and 55, in particular the age of the defendant and previous record - I am of the view that it would not be just in all the circumstances to impose a criminal conviction on the defendant.”

He gave Richardson an absolute discharge.

Richardson, who is in his second year of college, thanked Mr. Warner for his decision.

Man, 24, denies assaulting Police officer

A 24-year-old man denied five charges of stealing and assaulting a Police officer when he appeared in Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

Michael Eugene Douglas, of Narrow Lane, St. George's, was charged with stealing a red cycle worth $500 and knowingly receiving a stolen cycle.

The alleged incident occurred on September 20.

Douglas also denied violently resisting arrest and assaulting P.c. Robert Webster, causing him bodily harm on October 4.

Douglas denied wilfully and unlawfully destroying P.c. Webster's pants, worth $100. Magistrate Edward King set a trial date for December 2 and bail at $750 with one surety.

When a prosecutor asked for Mr. King to impose a curfew, Mr. King replied: “Who's going to Police him - he's a man - curfews are for 15 year olds.”

October 15 mention date for drug case

A 44-year-old man denied importing cocaine and marijuana when he appeared in Magistrates' Court.

David Charles Skater, of Green Dale Lane, Warwick, was granted $5,000 bail with one surety.

The incident was alleged to happen on September 7.

Senior Magistrate Archie Warner set a mention date for October 15.