Magistrate Justin Williams slapped a $1,600 fine on a woman who admitted having 2.02 grams of cannabis in her purse as she was about to enter Westgate Correctional Facility to visit a prisoner on Christmas Day. Alanette Hayward, a 30-year-old Hamilton Parish single mother of three, was fined $600 for possession of cannabis and another $1,000 for having it in an Increased Penalty Zone.

Hayward, who works for Works & Engineering, has until August 12 to pay the fine or spend 90 days in prison. Mr. Williams ? an acting magistrate ? heard that Hayward was approached by plain clothes Police as she parked her car inside Westgate?s grounds.

Crown counsel Nicole Smith said a Police dog searched her car and found nothing but detectives noted she was fidgeting and appeared nervous.

At that time, the dog turned its attention to Hayward?s red Victoria Secret handbag. She was escorted to an office and before she was searched, asked if she had drugs. Hayward told Police ?yes? and added that she forgot it was in her purse. The cannabis was found in a plastic bag.

Defence lawyer Charles Richardson gave an impassioned speech, calling her a ?recreational user? and that she realised she was wrong and that she needed help.

Mr. Richardson submitted a letter from Linden Jackson her counsellor at the Bermuda College ? where she is a part-time student, and on from the Coalition for the Protection of Children ? where she volounteers. ?It is rare to find someone who has resigned herself to take on so much,? he said.

He said Hayward has been a volunteer with the Coalition since the late 1980s and also presented a reference from her landlord which stated how responsible she was, despite everything she had ?on her plate?.