Man given suspended sentence, fine

A Pembroke man was given a three-month suspended sentence and fined $1,250 in Magistrates' Court yesterday for his role in a domestic dispute.

Jermaine Wilson, 33, of St. Monica's Road, Pembroke, pleaded guilty to unlawfully entering the home of Rosemary Simmons and damaging her door on November 23.

Crown counsel Graveney Bannister said the couple, who have two children together, had a history of domestic problems.

He said that on November 22, Wilson told Ms Simmons that she should "be careful for your life" while the children were being put in a car.

The next day she said she was threatened over the phone. Later that night she heard a loud banging on the door. Wilson was shouting, "Let me come in, I need to speak to you".

Ms Simmons phoned the Police then ran outside to waited for their arrival.

Police arrived and went into the home where they found glass, blood and a machete on the floor.

Ms Simmons said blood was found on the wall of her closet.

At 4.45 p.m. on November 24, Wilson was arrested and admitted that he entered the home because he wanted to speak to Ms Simmons but "had no intention of harming her".

Acting Magistrate Archibald Warner sentenced Wilson to a three month suspended sentence and an $800 fine for unlawfully entering her home.

If Wilson commits any crimes during the next 12 months, he will go to prison for three months.

Wilson was also ordered to pay $150 for a new door and fined an additional $300 for the offence.

Virgil released on $10,000 bail

A man caught with $300,000 worth of cannabis was released on $10,000 bail in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

However, Jahkemo Virgil, 22, of no fixed abode, was ordered to surrender his travel documents by Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner before he left the court.

Virgil's lawyer, Peter Farge, said his client had been in prison two weeks while Principal Crown counsel Juan Wolffe completed his investigation.

Crown counsel Graveney Bannister told Mr. Warner that two weeks was "not a significant time", but Mr. Warner told him "you can't hold people in custody because you feel like it".

Mr. Warner adjourned the matter until December 10, when Virgil will appear in court again for mention.