Burglar's fingerprints led to his identification

A burglar has been jailed for two years after breaking in through the window of a house and stealing jewellery and cash.

Paul Williams, 40, admitted targeting the home on Oceanside Road, Southampton, when he appeared at Magistrates' Court on Monday. Senior Crown counsel Carrington Mahoney said the incident happened between 8 a.m. and 9.30 p.m. on November 27 2008 when the occupier was out at work.

She had left the home locked and secured, but arrived home to find the living room window shattered, with broken glass all over the floor. A ring, earings, ankle bracelet and coins saved up in a vase had been taken, with the stolen goods totalling $863 in value.

The Police were called in, and fingerprints taken from the vase matched those of Williams. The defendant, a self-employed painter from Sandys, was arrested on Court Street on January 16 but denied burglary during an interview.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner said Williams had numerous previous convictions including robbery, obstructing the Police and violently resisting arrest. He was under a two-year suspended sentence for possession of a bladed article in public when he committed the burglary.

Mr. Warner activated the suspended sentence, but allowed Williams to serve it at the same time as the two-year term for the burglary. In the meantime, he is due to stand trial with another man on February 16 for robbing a woman of a wallet containing $760 by using force.

Tourist had cannabis strapped to his body

A New York man has been fined $2,500 in Magistrates' Court for possession of cannabis. The court heard from Crown counsel Robert Welling that on January 17, 43-year-old John McGreever arrived at L.F. Wade International airport from New York at about 3 p.m.

While standing in line, a Police sniffer dog was alerted to his presence and McGreever told officers: "I will save you the trouble, I have it on me you don't have to search my bags."

McGreever was searched by Police who found 11 hand rolled cigarettes, later analysed to be 9.61 grams of cannabis, strapped to his groin area. He apologised to the court telling Magistrate Juan Wolffe that it was his third trip to the Island as he was engaged to a Bermudian.

Father's celebration led to drink-driving

A new dad caught drink-driving over Christmas said the birth of his baby had made him "all excited" and he had gone out to celebrate.

Magistrates' Court heard Gernell Darrell was on a rare night out after becoming a father and was not only celebrating the birth, but the festive season and his "birthday month".

Darrell, 30, of Warwick, was stopped driving his car in Par-la-Ville Road, Hamilton, at 1.15 a.m. on December 28. Crown counsel Larissa Burgess said: "He was seen to be very unsteady on his feet, his eyes were glazed and his speech was slurred."

After being cautioned, he asked officers: "Why are you treating me like this?"

A breath test at Hamilton Police Station showed he was more than twice over the limit, with 194 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, the legal limit being 80.

He told the court: "It was party season. I have a brand new baby, I was all excited. It was also my birthday month. I usually don't go out. I know it was wrong, it was stupid."

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner fined him $1,000 and banned him from driving for a year. He also handed Darrell ten demerit points.

Burglary in Devonshire

Jewellery was stolen in a burglary at a home in Long Ridge Pass, Devonshire.

Police say the incident happened between 11.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. on Wednesday, while the home was empty. Witnesses should call 295-0011 or the anonymous CrimeStoppers hot line on 1-800-623-8477.