Prison time could worsen these 2 women’s health condition
Two West End women on drug-related charges were both fined and received suspended sentences in light of their medical condition.
They are guilty of possession of 680 grams of marijuana and an estimated $25,000 which was said to be the proceeds of crime.
Forty-one-year-old Caroline Hodge-Clarke and 24-year old DJanne Varlack both appeared before Magistrate Ayanna Baptiste-DaBreo on Monday for sentencing.
The two each received a nine-month custodial sentence which was suspended for two years. This means the offenders will only serve prison time if they commit another offence within the next two years.
Due to the quantity of the drug which classifies it into the trafficking category, the $24,980 found during a search of the women’s home will be forfeited to the Crown.
On the individual charges, Valack was fined $130 for six grams of marijuana while Hodge-Clarke was fined $75 for two grams of marijuana. Both fines must be paid within a month or the duo will have to serve four additional days in prison.
Mitigation
The two women were represented by attorney Nelson Samuel who argued in favour of a non-custodial sentence.
Among the points presented to the court were the fact that his clients had pleaded guilty at the earliest available time and that the value of the drugs was $6,800 — below the $10,000 mark.
Samuels also argued that his clients are heavy smokers and are not sellers. He said they were solely using the 680 grams of marijuana for personal consumption. He further revealed that both females suffer from depression and provided a doctor’s letter to the court as proof of their condition.
Prison would likely worsen their condition
Magistrate Baptiste-DaBreo then explained that she had sufficient factors within the case to deviate from the sentencing guidelines which recommended a non-custodial sentence.
She said the seriousness of the offences warrants a custodial sentence to deter potential offenders from committing similar crimes.
A custodial sentence for the offence carries a minimum sentence of three years and a maximum sentence of 10 years, but the magistrate said that due to the contents of the letter provided from the doctor, the two females’ condition would only worsen if they were to be sent to prison.
Both Varlack and Hodge-Clarke will have until December 17 to pay their fines.
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IMO, if you commit a crime, you do your time in general, but not in all cases. Putting people in jail for marijuana in this day and age I do not agree with. So I am quite ok with their suspended sentences.
Why isnt there an article about why the tourist portal is not working?
Of course it works.
Except if you want to use it to come to the BVI
So to the rest of You who are suffering depression ….HERE IS THE CURE – smoke weed and sell drugs??. LOL the court system in the BVI is a real joke
The magistrate is so gullible. If the marijuana was for personal use, where did the $25k come from?
These criminals are laughing at the rest of us!
There are unjust laws
Ahhh. Once again crime pays in the BVI. The new tourism slogan should be “BVILOVE the Criimonal”
so how come she still holds a front line job at l***** the ******* one , this country is really corrupt bad .
sorry that they are both sad. but weed aint gonna cure that. we all know if you need a doctor’s note you can get one.
they should have to give up who they got the weed from in order to stay outta balsam
I got a “doctors note” last week to claim disability, social security, and national healthcare. I then took that to claim unemployment, food assistance,
Now I work light duty for full pay and sympathy benefits. Gotta game the system my friends.
Carry on
People like you who do wrong make me sick. You’re doing wrong and then have the nerve to come in here and brag about it. I hope they hunt you down, and it’s so easy to do. I hope they hunt you down and instead of putting your butt in prison make you do some serious work. And you know the sad part about it is the fact that people like you make things worse for the innocent who really need the help.
You are an idiot. That should have been kept to yourself.
Mad Max i agree with you some do get away with murder just because of the names and dome are law abideing citisem get caught without seat belt or on the phone or you from down island like they say you Will get the full blow and always is their health or have children and they are good people i dont understand the system
This is funny.
They suffering depression and selling drugs hm
H*LL, MOST OF US IS SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION AND DEALING WITH IT. THOSE TWO KNOW EXACTLY
HOW TO WORK THE SYSTEM.
680g is 24 ounces ! Impossible to be for personal use.
Criminals here laughing at the justice system in the BVI.
Miss *** your licence need to be revovked i remember you charge me $450 for a road accident that was even my fault and now for drugs look what happen sorry for some of you in high places.
NOW EVERYONE IS GOING TO GET A DOCTORS NOTE, ?.
Iyana I am very disappointed in you. Hope Nelson appeal these women money. They were saving it under their beds. These Magistrates out smarting themselves. Veru guilable Magistrate
Not only did they get away with plenty, but they were given time to pay fines of $130 and $75. I be damn. I know people in jail for much less.
The criminal justice system is a joke, a big joke.
Those two knows how to … THERE IS FEMALES UP IN JAIL THAT HAVE THEIR OWN ILLNESSES GOING ON. THEY DIDNOT GET EXEMPT. THOSE TWO IS .., YOU DIP THE OTHER WAY.
Well Done.
(Barry say u will hear)
And the law student got prison time. How long were these being treated for depression before they were caught/charged? Could the depression be tied to their lifestyle? WOW…this is heinous!
Wasn’t Jail time the perfect remedy to rid these two d….s of their addiction?
Are we sure they don’t have children or sick parents? If so they will have prison time credits as well.
they could use them for their future offences. Where are they from? UK Residents?
I wonder who them lawyer is big nose Bruce lol