Christopher Thomas, STAR Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:

A Montego Bay man who was arrested for three separate charges on Christmas Day will have to return to court later this month in order to settle one of them.

Philip Evans, a fashion designer, is charged with smoking ganja, possession of an offensive weapon - a pair of scissors - and resisting arrest. He pleaded guilty with explanation on the weed charge, and not guilty on the other charges.

ganja cigar

In court on Wednesday, Evans told Resident Magistrate Vivienne Harris that he had the scissors to cut cloth as part of his work. He admitted that he had a ganja cigar, but that it was not lit and that he had simply been holding it in his hand.

On the resisting arrest charge, the accused told the court that when the arresting officer was detaining him, he requested a chance to lock his car first as he had his designer clothing stored in there. However, the officer reportedly refused, which Evans denounced as stupid upon recollection.

Harris sentenced Evans to pay $3,000, or spend 10 days in prison on the ganja charge, and ordered him to submit his fingerprints to the police. The offensive weapon charge was withdrawn.

Evans will return to court for the resisting arrest charge on January 27.