31 year old Mcneil Mart Wilson pleaded with Senior Magistrate Will Francis to release him from custody.

Through his sheer persistence Wilson was able to get his lawyer Richard Horseman and Mr. Francis to rectify his `injustice' during the plea court session of Magistrates Court.

Wilson, of Cavendish Road, Pembroke, had served eight days of a 238 day prison sentence meted out to him by Magistrate Archie Warner for unpaid traffic fines in excess of $3,000.

But Wilson charged that the ruling was unjust and reminded Mr. Francis that he had presided over the original case.

"Mr. Francis sir, you yourself ruled that I go into the rehabilitation programme and I asked you `well what about the fines?' and you said that you would fix that.

"Your honour I was in the programme and so there was no way I was able to pay the fines. I'm missing my treatment. I was just getting my life together when this happened. Please I just can't go back to jail.'' Overcome by his emotions, Wilson began to shake and cry as he pled with Mr.

Francis to release him from prison, allow him back into his drug treatment programme and give him some additional time to pay the fines.

As a show of good faith, Wilson brought $1,000 with him to court.

"Your honour I don't have any money at the moment but my girlfriend has been very gracious and has loaned me this money so that I can show you that I'm trying to turn my life around.'' After submissions from Mr. Horseman on the relevant sections of the law that allow a magistrate to change the ruling of another magistrate, Mr. Francis decided to release Wilson.

"Having regard that he is in a drug treatment programme and should continue, the court will accept the $1,000 and taking into account the eight days already spent in custody, I excuse payment on the balance of the fines,'' Mr.

Francis said.

Mr. Francis also gave Wilson a conditional discharge after he readily admitted wilfully obstructing a police officer who was trying to arrest him last April.

Wilson reportedly tried to elude patrol officers by suddenly turning off of Parson's Road and up St. Augustine's Hill.

Officers quickly caught up with him as the bike was unable to carry him over the steep incline.