By Tahna Weston
A 14-year-old boy who was found with a modified flare gun in town has been granted bail in the High Court.
Police charged the teenager for having the unlawful weapon in his possession and he was remanded to His Majesty’s Prison after appearing before the Child Justice Board.
An application for bail was made on the teen’s behalf by attorney Kevon Benjamin before Justice Ann-Marie Smith.
Benjamin, who appeared in the matter pro bono, told the court that this was the young man’s first offence and he was willing to abide by any and all stipulations made by the court in granting bail.
He was placed on bail in the sum of $15,000 with no cash deposit and two sureties, to which the prosecution made no objections. However, Crown Counsel Rhylis Adams made mention of the fact that these types of offences are very prevalent, especially among minors.
The court ordered that he must report to St John’s Police Station three days each week and he was also placed on a 6pm to 6am curfew.
He has to reside at his mother’s dwelling in St John’s and he is restricted from obtaining a travel document until his matter is concluded. The court also ordered that he must continue to attend classes at the secondary institution in which he is enrolled.
The young man was taken into custody after a police officer searched him on Corn Alley.
Reports are that the officer was driving along the road when he observed the teenager holding a shirt which seemed to have something in it.
The officer called out to him and told him to stand up, but he did not initially respond, forcing the lawman to call out to him a second time.
The officer exited his vehicle and approached the teen, who then began to apologize as he was being searched saying, “It does not belong to me.”
Baffled by the statement, the officer asked him to hand over the shirt, which was opened and was found to contain a paper bag in which the illegal weapon was concealed.
There was another young man in the teenager’s company, who denied having any knowledge of the modified flare gun.
The teen verified that story, telling the police that he got the weapon from an adult. His parents were notified after he was taken into custody.
The order of the court will be made available to several individuals including the commissioner of police, the chief immigration officer and the magistrate.