A Georgetown man has been given one month to pay a fine or face prison time for one rock of cocaine he had in his possession at a police station.
Police brought Kenneth Huggins, 45, to the Georgetown Police Station as part of an enquiry at about 4:55 p.m. on Dec. 1.
While conducting a search of Huggins’ person, the officers found foil wrappings containing a white substance resembling cocaine in his right pocket.
Huggins was arrested and charged and he told the arresting officer, “Man ah small thing me buy.”
He appeared at Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on Dec. 11 and pleaded guilty to a charge that on Dec. 1, at Georgetown, he had in his possession a controlled drug, to wit, one rock of cocaine.
Magistrate Bertie Pompey said that although the drug was a small quantity, it carries a very serious punishment.
He used a starting sentence of a fine of EC$1,000 and said there were no mitigating factors.
He overlooked Huggin’ convictions for dishonesty and said there were no aggravating features of the drug offence.
Huggins received a one-third discount on his sentence in light of his early guilty plea.
The magistrate arrived at a sentence of EC$650 to be paid in two months or three months imprisonment.
“But where you going to get money?” Pompey asked Huggins.
“I does work down the road,” Huggins said.