30 months' jail for man with gun in Palmiste

A MAGISTRATE has jailed a man for 30 months for possession of a gun and six rounds of ammunition.

Kerdel Peters, 23, was sentenced by senior magistrate Jo-Anne Connor in the San Fernando magistrates' court on Thursday after pleading guilty. He had a .38 revolver while in a car during a roadblock on November 25.

Police prosecutor Ramdath Phillip said at about 10.45 pm, police were at a roadblock in front of Well Mart, SS Erin Road, Palmiste. A car which was approaching suddenly made a U-turn.

Police chased it and searched the driver, the front-seat passenger and the car. Phillip said when they tried to search Peters, who was in the back seat, he pushed them away and escaped. They ran after him, the prosecutor said, but Peters kicked and cuffed PCs Baisden and Mahabir.

Connor was told Peters was eventually subdued and when he was searched, the gun was found tucked into his waist.

Peters pleaded not guilty to assaulting the officers.

Attorney Ravi Doodnath pleaded for Peters, saying he had no previous convictions of a violent nature, and should be afforded leniency for his guilty plea. He asked for a non-custodial sentence.

Connor was not so minded, saying too many robberies and capital offences were being committed with guns. She said, "I have to take into consideration that we cannot escape the fact that too many robberies and capital offences are being committed with firearms."

She ordered Peters to serve the 30 months with hard labour and granted him $30,000 bail on the assault charge. He was ordered to reappear on January 2.