A new father was sentenced to three years imprisonment and fined $30,000 after he admitted having 15 grammes of cannabis in his possession when he appeared at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s court yesterday.

Later in the morning he admitted to a charge of damage to property and three months were added to the previous sentence.

Stavus Harding, a gardener of Lot 17 Bean Voisin, Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara admitted having 15 grammes of cannabis and then admitted to damaging a lock when he appeared before Magistrate Fazil Azeez.

According to the facts of the case, police went to Harding’s home where he lives with his mother. He was not at home at the time but his mother granted access to the bottom flat in which he resides, which was searched. Under the bed was a black plastic bag containing 15 grammes of cannabis.

Later yesterday morning after he had been carried to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station lock-ups he repeatedly banged the door causing the lock to fall off.

His mother, who was present in court, said that she was “fed-up” of Harding and urged the magistrate to “do whatever you want with him”. She said that numerous times he had cursed her and threatened his little brothers.

Harding, in his defence declared “me don’t plant weed, me don’t smoke weed”, but was at a loss to explain how the drug got under the bed. In tears, he told the court that his wife is in the hospital having just recently given birth to his son.

“I never smoke weed in my life”, he asserted while pleading with the magistrate to be lenient with him. “I will never indulge myself in this here or anything to do with it,” he cried. He repeatedly asked the magistrate to give him a “chance”.

Police Prosecutor Ramsahoye Rambajue informed the magistrate that Harding had been in prison before. Harding then said that he came out of prison in 2000.

After listening to them the magistrate imposed the penalty on him though later in the morning he was taken back to court and admitted that he damaged a lock and three months was added to the previous sentence. The sentences are to run consecutively. He said the reason that he banged the door was because he wanted to go to the bathroom.