$200 fine for sleeping in school

IN SPITE of a submission that he had slept on a school’s compound “to provide some sort of security out of the goodness of his heart,” a Maraval man was yesterday fined $200 to be paid “forthwith” or serve a prison term of 30 days with hard labour for the offence. He was also fined $1,000 for possession of 1.5 grammes of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. He was allowed four weeks to pay the latter fine or serve a prison term of two months with hard labour. Michael Phipps, 54, of Morne Coco Road, Maraval, appeared before Magistrate Betsy-Ann Lambert-Peterson at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Four A Court and pleaded guilty to sleeping on the premises of the St Catherine’s Private School at Pembroke Street, Port-of-Spain without the permission of the principal, Wilma Cropper. He entered a not guilty plea for the drug charge.

Both offences occurred on October 18, 2002 and the charges were laid by PC Carlton Jackson of the City Police Headquarters. The court heard that Jackson, who was on mobile patrol in the vicinity of the school on the day in question, was alerted of Phipps’ presence on the compound.  He climbed over the locked gate and proceeded to the rear of the premises, where he found Phipps sleeping. Jackson woke him, searched his pockets and found the illegal narcotic wrapped in a piece of brown paper. Phipps was arrested and taken to the City Police Headquarters on Knox Street, Port-of-Spain, where he was subsequently charged.

When Phipps was asked to give his version of the story, he admitted to sleeping at the school on several occasions. However, he said, he had no idea that he had marijuana in his possession. He said he had been given a “remedy” on the day before by a man at Woodford Square, where he (Phipps) had given a lecture. The remedy, which comprised of orange peel and whatever was wrapped in the brown paper, was to be used to “recede” the swelling on his feet. He was busy at the time, he said, and just slipped the brown paper into his pocket without looking to see what it contained. Phipps said he had never seen the man before and did not know if he was a herbalist. After hearing all the evidence, Lambert-Peterson told Phipps she felt he was trying to mislead the court and handed down her sentence. The father of three had no money at the time to pay the $200 that was due yesterday and was remanded into custody. He was represented by attorney Richard Mason.