Sex charges dropped

A man walked free from Supreme Court yesterday after charges against him, including attempted sexual assault, were dropped.

A Sandys woman had accused him of attempted sexual assault, deprivation of liberty and causing bodily harm on 11 November of last year.

But when the complainant took the stand as the first witness she withdrew the charges.

"I recently gave my heart to the Lord and its his place to judge him (the accused)," she said.

"I've recently had a baby and I want to get on with my life, I already missed school for September because of this court date."

The jury, who sat in the trial for only a few minutes before the man was acquitted, were asked by the judge to announce the defendant not guilty on all three charges before the trial was officially ended.

Accused remanded

A man charged with concealing a hatchet in a MarketPlace store was remanded in custody in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Denton Parris, 34 of Cochrane Road, Sandys pleaded not guilty to having a bladed article in a public place, namely the MarketPlace in Pembroke on October 8.

As Parris slouched before Mr. Tokunbo he was told that he needed to drop his hands fully to his sides.

Parris also denied stealing three tubes of toothpaste valued at $16.29 from the store at the same date and time.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo set down a trial date of October 18 and Parris was remanded into custody.

Senators passed a tough new law in July allowing judges to dish out jail terms of at least three years for offenders carrying sharp weapons in public without lawful excuse.

A 'little' fine

A "little bit of weed" cost a Devonshire man $300 in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Kahlil Tarik Matthews, 29, of Stadium Heights pleaded guilty to possessing the drug in Pembroke on September 27.

Crown counsel Graveney Bannister said the Police Support Unit (PSU) spotted Matthews throwing something into his car and walking away.

A Police drug-sniffing dog searched the car and 0.26 grams of cannabis were found in a white paper twist inside the car.

"It's just a little bit of weed," Matthews told Police.

But Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo told him, "A little bit of weed gets you a little bit of a fine."

Sailor injured

A tanker heading to America has been forced to divert to Bermuda after a crewman broke both his legs.

The Hong Kong registered Hui Shun Hai was 750 miles east south east of Bermuda when the accident occurred on Sunday and is due into Bermuda later this week.

Suspect arrested

A 29-year-old homeless man has been arrested in connection with a burglary at a Smith's home on Sunday afternoon. The complainant said someone broke into her Wilderness Lane home although nothing was taken. The suspect was found and arrested after Police searched the area.