Nut Grove family remanded on armed forces uniform charges

By Tameika Malone
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Seven people charged by police with possession of a firearm, bullet, military-styled clothing and police overalls could spend Christmas in prison while awaiting trial.
Siblings Richard “Josie” Tweed, 41, Malcolm Tweed, 49, and Janice Tweed were jointly charged along with Janice’s son, Kyle Francis, 24, along with Melissa Ferrance, 23, Ken Thomas and an unnamed juvenile, all of Nut Grove. They were charged over the weekend with the crimes.
The seven appeared before Magistrate Conliffe Clarke in the St. John’s Magistrates’ Court yesterday where they all pleaded not guilty to the four offences. They were all subsequently remanded to prison until January 11, 2018, when their trial is scheduled to begin. The family can seek bail in the High Court.
If found guilty, they face up to two years in prison because of a recent amendment to the Firearms Act that removes fines as an option. Tha magistrates retains discretion to impose probation or any other form of punishment allowable under law.
On November 18 officers attached to the Criminal Investigations Department, Narcotics, K-9 and Rapid Response Units executed a search warrant at the Nut Grove property and found one 9mm pistol, a matching round of ammunition, two bulletproof vests, camouflage clothing, and clothing with “police” printed on them, electronic equipment and an undisclosed sum of money.
The items were seized, and police detained everyone who was at the home at the time of the raid, including an ailing woman who was recently released from the Mount St. John’s Medical Centre.
The accused, represented by attorneys Ralph Francis and Jan Peltier, can seek bail in the High Court.