into the sea off North Shore, was yesterday fined a total of $420 in Magistrates' Court.

Hubert Jermel Douglas, 25, made for the water after being stopped by Police for speeding as he rode on his bike along North Shore Road on Tuesday.

Magistrates' Court heard yesterday how the officer ran a check on Douglas and discovered a warrant was out for his arrest.

He arrested the construction worker and asked him to get into the Police vehicle, but Douglas ran down an embankment and along the Railway Trail before leaping into the sea and swimming off.

He was picked up soon afterward by the Marine Police.

Douglas, of My Lord's Bay Lane, Hamilton Parish, told the court: "He stopped me for a speeding ticket. He started calling for back up and I asked him what for. He never said. There was no way I was going to get in his car for anything -- not without him telling me what it was for.'' Douglas pleaded guilty to escaping Police custody and to speeding at 59 kph and was fined $200 and $220 respectively.

"WEED'' WAS FOR PERSONAL USE CTS "Weed'' was for personal use A man was fined $500 yesterday after pleading guilty to possessing cannabis.

Sean Tatem, 26, of Tatem's Hill, Pembroke, was found with the drug while in Police custody for another matter on January 31 this year.

Officers found 0.72 grams of plant material, which was later identified as cannabis, in his jacket.

Magistrates' Court heard yesterday how Tatem told the officers at the time: "It's my weed. It's only for me. I don't sell it.'' Senior Magistrate Archie Warner fined Tatem $500, to be paid by June 30, or face 60 days in jail for default.

DISQUALIFIED DRIVER STUNG FOR $500 CTS Disqualified driver stung for $500 A 32-year-old Warwick man was fined a total of $500 yesterday for a trio of traffic offences he committed on May 18.

Andre Phillip Hill, of Spice Lane, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to the charges of driving while disqualified, fraudulently using documents and driving an unlicensed motor vehicle. He re-appeared in Magistrates' Court yesterday, changing his plea to guilty.

Hill said he drove a car while disqualified to help a man who was incapacitated. He was stopped by Police while taking the man to hospital.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner fined him $300 for driving while disqualified, and $100 apiece for the other offences.

If Hill, who is in jail currently for failing to pay child support, was unable to pay the fines by the end of the day, continued Mr. Warner, then he faced an extra 120 days in jail.

FISHERMEN ENTER NOT GUILTY PLEAS CTS Fishermen enter not guilty pleas Three Pembroke residents pleaded not guilty in Magistrates' Court earlier this week to a number of offences stemming from the alleged use of illegal fishing pots in the waters around Bermuda.

Roger DaCosta, 47, of Northcote Road, Joseph Dawson, 45, of Old House Lane, and Margret Ann Davis, 41, of Cheriton Lane, were charged with putting the pots into local waters without a permit between February 3 and 17.

They were also charged with using the pots in the protected area around Eastern Blue Cut. They were bailed to appear for trial on October 10.

BUSTED FOR WEED AND UNPAID FINES CTS Busted for weed and unpaid fines A 21-year-old Warwick man was fined $600 earlier this week for possession of cannabis and was ordered to pay $800 in outstanding fines by the end of the day or face going to jail.

Magistrates' Court heard that Burnell Simmons, of Old Lane, was sitting on a motorcycle parked on St. Augustine Hill in Pembroke on February 16 when Police officers approached him.

The officers searched his motorcycle and found a number of brown twists containing brown plant-like material under his seat. The material was later found to be 1.23 grams of cannabis.

It emerged yesterday that Simmons had been fined a total of $800 during previous court appearances but had not paid anything.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner said: "I was considering dealing with you in another manner, other then fining you.'' But he noted: "You were in here a few months ago for the same foolishness.'' Mr. Warner ordered him to pay the outstanding fines by the end of the day and the new fine of $600 by June 26.

He added: "I'm gonna warn you, don't come anymore.'' TEEN FINED FOR FALSE NAME CTS Teen fined for false name A 19-year-old Warwick Parish man was fined $500 earlier this week for giving a false name when he was arrested by Police on May 14.

Tahir Bascombe, of Valley Lane, was also charged with perverting the course of justice but that charge was dropped by the Crown.

Magistrates' Court heard that Bascombe was travelling north on Victoria Street in Hamilton when Police officers pulled him over.

Bascombe gave the officers his brother's name instead of his, but was arrested because there was a warrant out for his brother's arrest.

He later admitted that he was not the man the Police were looking for. But after more questioning by Police, he admitted to committing a different offence in April, 1998, and giving his brother's name on that occasion also.

His brother never appeared in court to answer to that charge which was why there was a warrant for his arrest.

POWER 95 LIGHTING TECH BUSTED CTS Power 95 lighting tech busted A 34-year-old New York lighting technician, who came to the Island for the Power 95 event held last Saturday, was fined $800 this week for possession of cannabis and drug equipment.

Magistrates' Court heard that David Chieka, a lighting technician for musical duo Ashford and Simpson, was detained by Customs officers at the Bermuda International Airport earlier on Saturday.

When the officers searched his carry-on bag, they found a brown twist containing a brown plant-like substance and a pipe. Both were wrapped in plastic bags.

Mr. Warner fined Chieka $500 for possession of cannabis and $300 for possession of the pipe.