By Latrishka Thomas
A group of five was arrested and charged for having a social event at Dry Hill on Saturday.
Of those individuals, one woman was reprimanded and discharged, while the four men were fined $1,000 each.
The woman, Petrice Valentine of Potters, pleaded guilty to the charge on Monday while the others, Jelani Nicholas of Mount Pleasant, Ajani Williams of Parham, Jaquan Southwell of Hatton and Xavier Williams, admitted to the offence yesterday before Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh.
The court heard at 8.40pm on the day in question, officers patrolling the Dry Hill area in the vicinity of Sand Haven Bar and Restaurant, observed several vehicles parked on the side of the road.
The officers became suspicious and conducted a search of the area and found a gathering of people along with music, food, and drinks.
The perpetrators began to run in different directions and a few minutes later the men were found in a vehicle.
Valentine was found near the same gathering sleeping in a vehicle and they were all arrested and charged.
The five defendants were represented by lawyer Jan Peltier when they appeared in St John’s Magistrate’s Court.
She argued that some of her clients were not found at the gathering, but were in vehicles.
Southwell, in particular, was walking on the road when he was arrested, Peltier stated.
Ajani Williams explained that he asked his cousin, Xavier Williams, to give them a ride from the location when his car refused to start.
He however confessed that they were all coming from the social gathering.
Southwell also admitted that although he was found walking on the road, he too was at the event.
Valentine on the other hand said that she took a drive to clear her head but fell asleep in the vehicle near the gathering.
She was therefore reprimanded for the offence while the others were fined and ordered to pay the fines by August 28,or spend three months in jail.