By FARRAH JOHNSON
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A 38-year-old-man was yesterday charged with violating the lockdown and being in possession of instruments for burglary .
Elliot Smith appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis after officers found him in the Yellow Elder Elder area with a hammer and knife on the night of May 3.
He pleaded guilty to the charges and was fined $500 or three months in prison for being outdoors during the lockdown and another $100 or 15 days in prison for being in possession of housebreaking instruments at night.
Prosecutor Kenny Thompson told the court on the night in question, officers arrested Smith after finding him with the weapons near Government High School (GHS). During an interview under caution with police the next day, Smith admitted to violating the lockdown and told the officers he had only done so because he just wanted to get out of the house. Still, he said he only carried the weapons with him for “protection” and had no plans to use them to commit a crime.
During the hearing, Smith told Magistrate Rolle-Davis that he acted out of frustration because his “family thought that he was crazy” and needed to be admitted to Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre (SRC). He said he only left the house that night because his family didn’t want him around and insisted that he only took the knife and hammer with him for self-defence. Smith also told the magistrate that he was in a “tough situation” because he was not working.
As a result, Smith was given until July 7 to pay the fines. Still, Magistrate Rolle-Davis said if he failed to do so within the allotted time, he would spend three months and fifteen days in prison.
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