Trio will go on trial for gaming machines

Three men accused of importing gaming machines will go on trial after their defence lawyer failed to get the case thrown out.

The accusations against Graham Wall, 63, of Paget, John Thomas Kiernan, 52, of Pembroke and David Rocha, 49, of Smith's are related to a Police raid on Hamilton bar The Palace last November.

The trio were charged this June with importing 20 gaming machines and accessories on September 24, 2006. They have pleaded not guilty to this charge, and denied a further accusation of allowing the machines and accessories into The Palace, Reid Street, for gaming purposes.

Their lawyer, Ed Bailey, asked Magistrate Archibald Warner to throw out the case, claiming the men should have been charged within six months of the date of the alleged offence or not at all. However, Mr. Warner rejected this argument in a ruling delivered yesterday and ordered the defendants to appear before the court again on Monday. They remain on bail.

Weapons found in search

Police found weapons and drugs after searching a car in the early hours of yesterday.

According to a Police spokesman, officers spotted a car being driven in a dangerous manner on Middle Road in Warwick, near Burnt House Hill, at 3.30 a.m.

"Officers stopped the vehicle and subsequently conducted a search under the Misuse of Drugs Act. As a result, a bladed article, a pair of 'brass knuckles', a miniature baseball bat and a quantity of suspected narcotics were seized," said the spokesman.

All five occupants of the car — a 22 year old Sandys parish man, a 17 year old Sandys parish man, an 18 year old Devonshire man and two 18 year old Sandys parish men were arrested.

The spokesman said they were detained on suspicion of possessing a bladed article, suspicion of possessing prohibited or offensive weapons and suspicion of possessing a controlled substance. The car was also impounded.

Tourists mugged

A couple on vacation were targeted by a mugger on Sunday.

According to the Police, a man on a motorcycle rode past the couple on Keith Hall Road around 5.40 p.m., grabbed the female tourist's handbag and made off with it. The woman was pulled to the ground during the mugging, but was not injured.

The suspect is described as a black male riding a dark coloured motorcycle, wearing a dark coloured helmet, goggles and a blue jacket.

Murder accused makes brief appearance

A brief administrative hearing for lawyers to discuss paper work was held at Magistrates' Court today for the man accused of murdering 26-year-old Ruth Binns.

Arnold Shawn Astwood, 35, of Green Acres Road, Devonshire, made the brief appearance while at least six family relatives of Ms. Binns looked on.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner adjourned the case to be mentioned on October 29, in plea court.

Astwood, dressed in a prison orange jumpsuit, showed no emotion and did not utter a word. He was remanded into custody.

Ms Binns, also known as Ruth Dill, was discovered dead by her sister in her apartment at Camp Hill Road, Southampton, on September 25.

Motorcycle stolen

Between 7 a.m. on Thursday and 7 a.m. on Friday, there was one vehicle reported taken without its owner's consent; a black Honda Scoopy auxiliary cycle licence # 794 AE from East Shore Road, Sandys parish. Inquiries into this incident are underway.

Anyone with any information on the whereabouts of this cycle is encouraged to contact the Vehicle Crime Unit on 299-4316 or the main Police number, 295-0011.

Burglars hit Pembroke, Paget homes

Police received reports of two burglaries at the weekend.

Burglars broke into a house in North Terrace, Pembroke, on Friday morning, stealing a gold tennis bracelet.

In a separate incident in the early hours of Saturday, offenders got away with a quantity of jewellery from a property in Harbour Road, Paget.