Vincentian who overstayed for two years fined and to be deported

A Vincentian will be deported from the BVI once he has paid his fine for an Immigration infringement and several traffic violations.

The offender — Morrell Leslie who resides in Parham Town — was fined $1,000 for overstaying when he appeared in the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

He was also fined a total of $1,650 for giving false information to a police officer, driving without a seatbelt, a license, and without insurance, and having windows tinted over the legal limit.

Morrell’s lawyer, Israel Bruce, tried to make an application for his client’s release from custody and given seven days to leave the territory once the fine was paid in full.

However, Magistrate Khadeen Palmer rejected the application and told Bruce she cannot process it as it was out of her jurisdiction. The magistrate added she cannot approve such an application because Morrell is charged with an Immigration violation and if he is released from custody, he would be allowed to roam illegally in the territory.

She told Bruce his client had to be remanded until the matter was processed by the Immigration Department. Afterwards, Morrell will be released and allowed to return to St Vincent and Grenadines.

The court was informed that the 42-year-old Vincentian had been overstaying illegally in the territory for more two years. His passport showed his work permit had expired on October 4, 2019, and he made no efforts to renew it with the Labour and Immigration Department.

For the other complaints, the court was told that on October 28, 2021, two police officers were conducting traffic checks on the Blackburn Highway in East End when they noticed Morrell driving a vehicle without wearing his seatbelt.

The officers observed the defendant leaving the vehicle in an open area and walking along the roadway. One of the officers drove up to Morrell and asked if he was the driver of the said vehicle and he told him no.

The officer also asked for his passport and Morrell told him he had it at home. The defendant was brought to his residence and he retrieved the passport which showed when his permit had expired.

The officers asked the defendant if he had a license or insurance and he told them no. Subsequent checks were made with the windows of the vehicle and it showed the tint was over the maximum limit allowed.

He was arrested and brought to the Road Town Police Station where he was formally charged. Morrell pleaded guilty to all the charges brought against him.