BVI News

Thomas sentenced to over 5 years for loaded gun, drugs

Dion Thomas (foreground) being escorted from the Magistrate’s Court in John’s Hole.

Dion Thomas has been sentenced to more than five years at Her Majesty’s Prison for the loaded XD-45 semi-automatic pistol police found him with during the emancipation celebrations this year.

The Hannah’s Estate resident was slapped with a total of five years and four months when he appeared before Magistrate Giselle Jackman-Lumy on Friday.

He was further sentenced to two-and-a-half months in prison for having 10 rounds of .45 calibre bullets inside the gun.

The additional 47 rounds of .9 mm calibre bullets found at his home earned him another three-and-a-half months imprisonment and a $300 fine which was ordered to be paid forthwith. If he fails to pay, he will spend 30 days in lock-up. Those 30 days would run concurrently (side by side) to his other prison sentences.

In the meantime, Thomas was also fined $1,000 for the 12.1 grams of cannabis found on his person on the day in question. That fine was also to be paid forthwith or in default, Thomas will spend four months in prison.

In handing down the sentence, Magistrate Jackman-Lumy told Thomas that his claim of finding the weapon is not a defence in court. She encouraged him to call the authorities should he ever stumble upon another illegal item.

Thomas had said he kept the weapon for his family’s protection.

The gun discovery

Thomas was found with the loaded gun and the drugs during a stop-and-search operation on August 6,

A further search of his home revealed another 47 bullets. He was subsequently arrested and charged.

Defence attorneys Patrick Thompson and Reynela Rawlins represented Thomas.

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4 Comments

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  1. Looney says:

    “If he fails to pay, he will spend 30 days in lock-up. Those 30 days would run concurrently (side by side) to his other prison sentences.”

    So if the sentences run side by side what will be the difference in time served if he does not pay? Ha!

  2. Smh says:

    Guess he found the ammunition too

    Like 3
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  3. BuzzBvi says:

    Let us hope this is the start of taking gun holding and gun crimes seriously.
    It is time to stop the slide of the BVI.
    Next drug running gun toting reckeless scooter riders who are endangering everyone everyday.

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