Low Street man jailed for cocaine, resisting arrest

By Pauline Waruguru
Nevis Reporter-SKNVibes.com

Gregory Walters being taken away from the Magistrate’s Court by police officers

Gregory Walters yesterday appeared before Her Worship Yasmine Clarke at the District ‘C’ Magistrates Court in Charlestown, Nevis and was sentenced to two years jail for cocaine possession and six months for obstructing and resisting arrest. The Magistrate said the sentences would run concurrently.

Walters was represented by Barrister-at-law Anthony Johnson while the prosecution was led by Inspector Trevor Mills, who told the court that Walters was arrested within the vicinity of Trailers Bar in Charlestown on September 26, 2008 by police officers who were conducting patrols in the area.

He told the court that the officers were in a vehicle and when they were close to the bar, Constable Bradshaw disembarked, approached Walters and informed him that he would have liked to conduct a search of his person for drugs.

The prosecutor further stated that one of Walters’ hands was fisted and Constable Bradshaw saw something within it and requested that he disclose what it was. Walters however refused, and in an attempt to see what the hand contained a struggle ensued, as he resisted and obstructed the officer in execution of the search.

~~Adz:Right~~Constable Bradshaw was joined by other members of the patrol and eventually they subdued Walters and found that he had a plastic bag containing 10 packets of cocaine wrapped in foil in his hand. 
According to Walters’ counsel, what he held in his fist was not his cocaine. He also told the court that it was not clear whose cocaine it was.

But the Magistrate told the court she had no doubt that Walters had the cocaine: “I will say this...in my mind, there is absolutely no doubt that he [Walters] had the cocaine.”  Her worship however said the prosecution had not proven beyond any reasonable doubt that Walters had any intent to supply the cocaine.

Prior to Magistrate Clarke announcing the sentence, Johnson pleaded with her not to impose a custodial sentence on his client, noting “he is the father of a four-year-old child who depends on him”.

Johnson also told the Magistrate that the child’s mother works night shifts, and since his arrest Walters had been on remand at Her Majesty’s Prison in excess of a month.

“The main charge is possession only…not with intent to supply. I request the court to allow the defendant to have an opportunity to maintain that child. He is someone of strong family background. He has been employed for quite some time in the construction industry and he is unlikely to stay on the street,” Johnson pleaded.

Her Worship however told the defence counsel that Walters had four previous convictions for possession of drugs.