By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A 21-year-old man who was found with illegal ammunition that he claimed he had found was yesterday sentenced to six months in prison.
Police arrested Jermaine Mott after they found 50 rounds of unfired .40 ammunition in his home on January 25. He owned up to the offence during a hearing before Chief Magistrate Joyann Fergsuon-Pratt.
The court was told officers went to Mott’s Chippingham residence armed with a warrant. When officers checked the south-western bedroom, they found a shoebox that contained one Federal Premium Law Enforcement .40 ammunition box, with the bullets inside.
Mott was arrested. When questioned, he admitted the offence and said he found the ammunition through a shortcut between Farrington Road and Boyd Road. He told officers he kept the contraband for about a week and had not turned it over to the police because he was afraid. The prosecution said the accused claimed he was unaware his actions were illegal.
Yesterday, Mott’s attorney, Ian Cargill, told the magistrate his client made a stupid mistake. He also said Mott now understood ignorance was not an excuse to break the law.
Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt told the accused she hoped he had learned from the error of his ways. She said he should have already grown past his “boyish curiosity” as he was an adult. She advised him that there were certain things in life that he should run from and not embrace. She fined Mott $4,500 and sentenced him to six months in prison. She warned him if he failed to pay the fine, he would be sentenced to 18 months.
Commenting has been disabled for this item.