Prisoner found with weed in guitar

An inmate of the Carrera prison was found with a quantity of weed hidden inside his guitar when prison officers performed a search on Monday.

Police said prison officers at the facility were searching inmates before they could be transported to court at around 11.30 am, when they saw Terrence Delpeche, 36, walking with his guitar.

On searching the instrument, they saw plastic bags hidden inside the sound box of the guitar.

Prison officers called the police and members of the Carenage Police Station, went to the island where they arrested Delpeche and took him to the Four Roads Police Station, where he was charged and processed.

Delpeche, who was in court for a firearms offence, appeared for his court date and was transferred to the Port of Spain Remand Yard.

He was expected to appear before Port of Spain Magistrate Cherril-Anne Antoine this afternoon, but did not appear due to complications as he was an inmate.

In court, police complainant Const Ryan explained that a justice of the peace granted Delpeche bail so he could appear in court today, but a prison officer told him it was necessary for police to apply for a writ as well.

Antoine said as Delpeche was already charged, she did not see why he could not appear.

Delpeche is expected to appear in court next Tuesday.