CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – A JUVENILE convicted of possession and cultivation of a controlled drug will have to return to the Charlestown Magistrate’s Court on May 19 for sentencing.

The minor, who appeared in court on Tuesday (May 12), was charged on May 8 in the presence of his father after being arrested by the police at New Castle.

The court was told that on May 7 police officers discovered a quantity of cannabis growing in a pasture in New Castle. The officers staked out the location and shortly after 7:00 a.m. the juvenile appeared with two plastic bottles of water and started watering the plants. He was then surrounded and taken into custody.

At the pasture, the police found seven plastic flower pots containing 17 plants and 20 plants growing in the ground.

While in custody the juvenile asked the police, “What going to happen now? I am juvenile.” He was duly charged.

In the same court Oswald Brandy of Butler’s Village was fined $2 000 after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis. Magistrate Yasmine Clarke gave Brandy one month to pay the fine or spend six months in prison.

The court heard that around 6:20 a.m. on May 8, 2009, police officers executed a search warrant on the premises of Selwyn Michael of Butler’s Village. When the officers entered the building, the defendant took a white container from his pocket and retreated further into the house. A constable followed Brandy, saw the white container and told him that he saw him removed the item from his pocket. The constable cautioned the defendant, who in reply said, “It’s just a little thing we were going to smoke before we go to work.”

The defendant and the items were taken into custody at the Charlestown Police Station where he was charged.