Bad luck lands ganja trafficker in jail

Apr 24, 2009 News

John Barker

A Middle Road, La Penitence man was jailed for three years by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Fifty-year-old John Barker pleaded guilty to two charges of narcotics possession.
On March 25, last, at Middle Road, La Penitence, he had in his possession 2.7 kilograms of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.
Barker on the same day, at Middle Road, while being in lawful custody pending a criminal charge, escaped from custody.

According to the man who was unrepresented, “I really didn’t want to waste the court’s time and thus I am pleading guilty”.
Barker said that the only reason he did something like that was to make a living for his family. He said that it was unfortunate.
“Your worship, is just bad luck because de same time de drugs come, de police show up and they search de place.”

However, Barker said that he was never in the custody of the police. He said that he saw the police when they came into the yard and he ran away.
The defendant further told the court that the only way the police caught him was because his brother-in-law told the police where he was working.

Police Prosecutor Seetaram said that on the day in question, about 00:30hrs the police, who were acting on information, went to the defendant’s home to conduct a search.
He said that when the police arrived at the man’s Middle Road, La Penitence home, a search was executed and the drugs were found in the defendant and his wife’s possession.
They were both arrested and told of the suspicion.

Seetaram said that both defendants were escorted to the police station and it was then that Barker escaped from custody. He was subsequently rearrested and charged with the present offence. Barker was also fined $10,000 along with the jail term. For the escaping from lawful custody he was jailed for one year.
However, the charges would run concurrently.