Traffic scofflaw chooses prison over fine

 

Junior Josiah, charged with charged with dangerous driving, driving without insurance, driving without the owner’s consent and giving a false name to the police, chose nine months in prison rather than paying $4,100 in fines.

Josiah admitted to committing the first three offences and plead not guilty to the latter charge, but was still found guilty of it by Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh.

He was driving a burgundy Suzuki Baleno motorcar A7928, on the Langford’s main road  on April 7 when he decided to turn onto Old Popeshead Road without stopping.

As a result, he ran into Ivy Hurst’s grey Mitsubishi Pajero A33821, resulting in damage to the left rear fender and causing the vehicle’s airbag to be deployed.

An officer visited the scene and following investigations it was discovered that Josiah took his aunt’s Suzuki motorcar without her permission and gave the investigating officer a false name.

 

Arsonist has to pay compensation

 

A 55-year-old Urlings man was given until June 30 to pay $2,150 compensation for setting fire to two pieces of tarpaulin, four beds and a table model stove at the Cades Bay farm of Foster Mack.

Franklin Browne pleaded guilty to malicious damage when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh. If he does not pay the sum within the two-month stipulated time he will be incarcerated for six months.

After committing the offense on May 25, the Urlings man then went to the Bolans Police Station and confessed to officers what he did. Browne had days before gone to the same station and made a report that someone had destroyed his pineapple crop on his Cades Bay farm.

Officers later picked up Browne in Urlings and arrested and charged him for the arson.

Browne, who was represented by attorney Samantha Marshall, is known to the court. His last conviction was in 1998.

 

Rowdy man gladly admits to charges

 

Dave Henry enthusiastically pleaded guilty to charges of disorderly conduct (by making noise) and making use of indecent, abusive and insulting language when he appeared in St John’s Magistrates’ Court.

As the charges were read to Henry, he loudly proclaimed, “Guilty, with no problem. I am admitting I did it. I don’t want to waste the court’s time.”

He was fined $200-800 on each count or three months in prison on each to run concurrently. Henry begged the court for time to pay the money, but Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh told him the fines must be paid immediately.

Henry, 44, was in custody at the St John’s Police Station on April 14 when he became very abusive to a female police constable who went to offer him some help.

Henry, who has a long conviction record and who admitted that he used to be a thief, reportedly used every word known to him while cursing the officer.