Christopher Thomas, STAR Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

A St James man who was deported from Haiti in 2009 was let off with a warning on Friday when he appeared in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court charged for having five weapons on his person.

Forty five-year-old Don Powell, from Bogue Hill, pleaded guilty to five counts of possession of an offensive weapon, including three cooking knives, a screwdriver and a pair of scissors.

The facts are that on December 9, the investigating officer saw Powell along Gloucester Avenue in Montego Bay, and conducted a search of a bag the defendant was carrying. The items were discovered during the search and Powell was arrested and charged.

In court, Powell begged Resident Magistrate (RM) Sandria Wong-Small to show him leniency. "Mi guilty, but I'm begging you a leniency, mi got my children to work for," said Powell. "Is find me find the knives when me work on the garbage truck."

"How long have you been in Jamaica?" asked RM Wong-Small, on account of the fact that Powell spoke with an accent.

"Three years mummy," Powell replied.

"Your Honour, the officer says that Mr Powell was born in Jamaica and lived in Sandy Bay (in Hanover) but later went to Haiti," clerk of the court Natalie Malcolm advised the magistrate. "It was later that he was deported from Haiti."

After some amount of consideration by the court, Powell was eventually admonished and discharged on all five counts.

"You are not allowed to go back to Gloucester Avenue and beg people things," RM Wong-Small warned Powell as he left the court.