A Sandys parish man charged with wielding a broken beer bottle at Cup Match three years ago had his conviction upheld in Supreme Court yesterday.

Ki-jah Butterfield, 19, of Ratterary Lane, did not appear in court yesterday due to his current studies abroad.

Chief Justice Austin Ward upheld an earlier Magistrate's court sentence and ordered Butterfield to pay $500 or face 90 days in prison, saying there was sufficient evidence to convict Butterfield on possession of an offensive weapon charge.

In the earlier trial, Butterfield had been charged on four counts of possessing an offensive weapon, assault, behaving in a threatening manner, and the illegal possession of a knife.

Three charges were later dropped with Butterfield only being convicted on the possession of an offensive weapon.

The incident stems from a July 1999 altercation in which Mr. Kevin Smith said he had been struck over the head, by one of six men. Two of the men were the "Butterfield brothers", he told Police.

The court learned that there had been bad blood among the young men before the incident.

Smith in told the court that he had seen Butterfield with a knife. However, Smith's mother Delsea testified that Butterfield was carrying a bottle with a broken end.

Defence Attorney Elizabeth Christopher told Chief Justice Austin Ward that the inconsistencies of the statements made by Smith and his mother had to be looked at.

She further questioned whether Butterfield having the bottle showed his intentions and said that he was using it as a defence against Smith who was advancing on him.

Crown counsel Charmaine Smith said that the judgment which had been handed down by Magistrate Edward King in Magistrates' court was a fair one.