A 42-year-old man accused of having unlicensed firearms and ammunition in his possession was yesterday remanded to prison when he appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton at the George-town Magistrate’s Court.

It is alleged that on July 24 at Georgetown, Garfield Batson of 212 D’Andrade Street, Newtown had in his possession a 9 mm pistol and a 12-gauge shotgun without being the holder of a firearm licence.

On the same day also, Batson allegedly had in his possession seven rounds of live 9 mm ammunition without being the holder of a licence.
The electrician pleaded not guilty.

In his bail application, Attorney-at-Law Adrian Thompson who represented the accused told the court that his client suffers from a chest condition owing to an open heart surgery that he underwent some years ago. The attorney then made application for reasonable bail to be granted on the grounds that his client has no previous convictions, has a fixed address and poses no risk of flight.

However, the prosecution ob-jected to bail on the grounds that the section under which the defendant was charged provides for bail to be granted only in special circumstances, and that in this case no special circumstances existed.

The prosecutor added also that the accused, in a caution statement given to the police, admitted having the unlicensed firearms and ammunition in his possession, saying that it was a friend who had given him the items to keep.

The father of four was subsequently denied bail and remanded to prison until November 25 for the commencement of his trial.