Man charged with carnal knowledge of a 14-year-old girl

A 23-year-old man charged with having unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under 14 appeared at Magistrates? Court yesterday.

The accused ? who cannot be named for legal reasons ? did not enter a plea. He is alleged to have committed the offence between June 12 and 17 in Devonshire.

The matter was adjourned until October 19 and the defendant, of no fixed abode, was granted bail in the amount of $5,000 with one surety for the same amount. He was ordered not to contact his alleged victim.

US man fined $2,000 for cannabis

A Connecticut man apologised to Bermuda yesterday for importing 8.3 grams of cannabis onto the Island at the weekend.

Michael Richard Gaudino, 35, of Watertown, pleaded guilty to the charge at Magistrates? Court and was fined $2,000 by Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner.

He told Mr. Warner: ?I?d like to apologise to the country of Bermuda. It was an ignorant and stupid mistake and will never happen again.?

Mr. Warner replied: ?It was not a mistake. You deliberately brought drugs into Bermuda.?

He ordered Gaudrio to pay the fine immediately or face three months in jail.

Earlier, prosecutor Dwayne Caines had told the court how a sniffer dog detected the drug when Gaudino arrived in Bermuda by air on Sunday. He said Gaudino told officials: ?You got me fair.?

Women deny cannabis importation

Two women denied importing 5.13 grams of cannabis onto the Island at Magistrates? Court yesterday.

Linda Ann Lottimore, 52, of St. Monica?s Road, Pembroke, and Denelle Linda Anne Nichole Burchall, 34, of Inghams Vale, Pembroke, are alleged to have committed the offence on May 20. They were bailed for $1,000 until January 9.

Absolute discharge for taking rum

A 63-year-old man was given an absolute discharge at Magistrates? Court yesterday after admitting stealing a bottle of rum from a supermarket.

Ellington Bell, of Granaway Heights Road, Southampton, pleaded guilty to taking the $9.50 bottle from Lindo?s on September 5. Prosecutor Dwayne Caines said he slipped the item into his back pocket and failed to pay for it at the till.

Bell started to tell Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner that he could not have stolen it because it was not found on his person when he was searched.

But Mr. Warner said: ?You are getting on my nerves now. If you didn?t steal the stuff why are you pleading guilty??

Bell then agreed he had taken it. Mr. Warner said he was giving him an absolute discharge because he had no previous convictions.