A Southampton man was imprisoned for 90 days after he failed to clear his debt in Magistrates? Court on Friday.

Melvin Simons, 49, of Riviera Road, Southampton owed $950 from traffic offences committed in 2000. Simons created confusion when he tried to tell the court he had neglected to pay his fines. ?I have deglected paying some of those fines,? he said.

?What?? Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner asked.

?He said your honour,? Crown counsel Cindy Clarke explained.

But Mr. Warner said Simons had also neglected to observe the law by getting caught driving without third party insurance on two occasions. ?You come court, get fined and just walk away from it,? Mr. Warner said. ?Of course you neglected to pay. That?s no explanation.?

And Quinton Ashley Caines, 48, Curving Avenue, Pembroke had not paid a $1,250 fine for not having third party insurance and driving an unlicensed motorcar since May 2004, despite having two extensions.

?On January 11, 2005 you came in and I dealt with it. You must have given me a story,? Mr. Warner said. ?Of course you went away and still not paid it.?

Caines was adament the fines had been paid by another person but court records showed otherwise. His fines were paid by the end of the working day on Friday and he escaped a prison sentence. Caines must re-appear for trial on May 2, as he pleaded not guilty of stealing of whiskey, rum and vodka worth $1,026 from Goslings on February 7.