Stiff fines for driving offences

A repeat traffic offender was fined $5,200 and disqualified from driving for two years in Magistrates? Court last week.

Landro McCoy Minors-Bascome, 21 of Cove Valley Road, St. George?s had a total of 12 tickets to answer for and was released on $2,000 to appear for trial on November 3 after he pleaded not guilty carrying a machete with a 24-inch cutting edge on Front Street on August 27.

Crown counsel Nicole Smith said Bascome was caught riding a motorcycle at 84 kph at a laser speed trap near Vesey Street in Devonshire on July 13. Minors-Bascome pleaded guilty to speeding at 84 kph, was fined $500 and disqualified from driving all vehicles for 12 months.

He also admitted the bike was unlicensed and uninsured and was fined $250 and $1,000 respectively. Minors-Bascome pleaded guilty to refusing to give a sample of his breath to Police and was fined $1,000 and disqualified from driving for a further 12 months.

And he was fined an additional $1,850 for driving an unlicensed car, with no insurance and failing to change the address on his driver?s licence on August 27. He also had to pay a balance of $600 in unpaid fines for admitting to riding a Honda Scoopy on March 5 with no insurance.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo said Minors-Bascome had to pay the $600 yesterday and must pay $5,200 by November 30 or spend 160 days in prison.

Woman breaches protection order

A 20-year-old Devonshire woman denied breaching a protection order and coming into contact with another woman on October 24.

The young woman has appeared in court numerous times dating back to 2002 for charges of sexually assaulting a female, and breaching protection orders.

The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she was in the vicinity of the complainant?s house because she was attending a parent teacher conference at a near by school.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner decided to remand the young woman, who will next appear at Magistrates Court on November 2.

Before being remanded she was on bail for another incident, sexually assaulting a female. That trial will begin January 11.

Getaway driver gets suspended sentence

A drug addict with a previous history of medical problems was given a suspended two year prison sentence, coupled with a further three years probation in Supreme Court on Friday.

Densworth Edwin Darrell, 51 of Devil?s Hold Road, Smiths pleaded guilty in August to four charges of robbery and four charges of stealing, and admitted being the lookout and getaway driver during a drug-fuelled crime spree.

The two year sentence was suspended for three years. The sentencing hearing had been delayed in order to complete a Bermuda Assessment Referrals Centre (BARC) report and a Social Inquiry Report, because it had been questionable whether Darrell was healthy enough to be allowed in prison.

But Mr. Justice Ground said the defendants health seemed to have improve but laughed when he read the BARC report, which he said made extensive recommendations but none of which were available in Bermuda.

Darrell?s co-accused ? Denzil David Simmons, 39, of no fixed abode ? was already sentenced in August to four years in prison with two years probation.

Crown counsel Cindy Clarke said Darrell admitted to being in Carousel Liquors on March 15 as Simmons grabbed $100 from the register.

She also said Darrell acted as a lookout outside the International Sports Shop on March 19 as Simmons robbed Satrina Jennings of $700 by attacking her cash register with a screwdriver.

Darrell also admitted to being a getaway driver at Watlington Waterworks on March 14 as Simmons went into the office and pulled money out of the register.

And he also admitted to playing a role in the theft of $160 from Rayjuan?s Intimate Lingerie on March 16.

As Darrell was being sentenced the Chief Justice ordered him to follow whatever drug rehabilitation programmes a Probation Officer suggested, or spend two years in prison.

Law catches up with fugitive

Failing to show for an August 2004 trial caught up with a Devonshire man yesterday after Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner remanded him into custody overnight to face charges this morning of threatening to shoot a cop.

Princeton Robinson was denied bail after Mr. Warner was presented information that he failed to show on August 30, 2004 for driving while disqualified in February 2004.

Robinson yesterday also denied new charges of threatening a Police constable on September 22, by telling him: ?You?re holding me up when there are more criminals out there. If I had a gun I?d shoot you. I would do you and your whole family, you little black b*****d. I should put a gun to your head and shoot you.?

Robinson also denied assaulting an officer while he was executing his duty and speeding at 57 k.p.h. on Middle Road, Southampton.

However, he pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice by telling Police his name was William Eugene Robinson at the same date and time.