Two weeks ago, Police Constable 2859 Ricardo Kevin Bauld was convicted on a drug charge and yesterday he returned to court for sentencing.
The officer, who was attached to the Mobile Division, was arrested on April 19, 2007 after a search warrant was executed at his Caravel Beach apartment.
Bauld, who was arraigned in Freeport Magistrates Court 2 before Magistrate Andrew Forbes on Thursday, April 20, 2007, pleaded not guilty and was granted $30,000 bail.
Following his court appearance for possession of Indian Hemp, the constable was interdicted from his duties on the Royal Bahamas Police Force pending the outcome of the case.
Defence Attorney Carlson Shurland had argued during Bauld’s trial that the evidence against his client was “inherently weak and tenuous at best.”
He had also pointed out that the prosecution brought four witnesses, including a forensic scientist who offered no assistance with proving evidence of the crime.
Attorney Shurland insisted, too, that the scale and saran wrap vacuum sealer found in Bauld’s apartment were household items and that the prosecution could not infer that they were specifically earmarked for supplying drugs, pointing out that they were not tested as being part of drug paraphernalia.
He even made an application to have the matter be withdrawn, submitting that there was no case to answer.
Prosecutor Anthony Delaney, of the Attorney-General’s Office, had also argued that sufficient evidence had been adduced to call on Bauld to answer to the charge.
The court agreed.
On July 26, he was convicted of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply. He noted that it is the prosecution’s submission that sufficient evidence has been adduced to call on Bauld to answer to the charge.
During mitigation Tuesday, Defence Att-orney Shurland asked the court to take into consideration his years of service, his contribution on the force and the fact that he is a family man.
The lawyer also cited that because of his client’s young age he can still be rehabilitated.
Following submissions from both Attorneys Shurland and Delaney, Magistrate Forbes granted Bauld a non-custodial sentence or two years and ordered that he pay a cash fine of $10,000.
The court also ruled that Bauld is to be of good behaviour for one year.
In default of payment, Bauld is to spend one year in Her Majesty’s Prison, Fox Hill.
Source: Freeport News
