A 33-year-old man, who had previously pleaded guilty to drug charges, today apologized for his crimes.
Appearing before Madam Justice Jacqueline Cornelius in the No. 5 Supreme Court, Junior Michael Ricardo Mascoll, of No. 4 Piper’s Avenue, Bayville, St Michael, also appealed for leniency.
“There is nothing I can say this morning that can change my past but if you give me a chance I can surely change my future,” said Mascoll, who is accused of possession, importation and trafficking of 297.55 kilogrammes of cannabis on June 19, 2004.
“Ma’am I am very sorry for the things I have done, . . . for the people that I have hurt . . . . I have learnt from my mistakes . . . and I accept my faults, . . . but since I have been incarcerated I was given an opportunity to learn . . . . I was also given a chance to learn tailoring and I can say that I truly enjoyed it,” the accused, who was self represented, added as he read from a prepared speech.
However, Acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Anthony Blackman pointed out that while the accused had entered an early guilty plea, he had no doubt committed three very serious drug offences.
“Drugs are [creating] a great havoc on the national resources of this country, that is our people. And not only that, but it puts a strain on our resources,” the prosecutor said, adding that there was a level of sophistication to Mascoll’s crimes which merited a custodial sentence.
In response, Mascoll admitted that “there is a penalty for what you do wrong”, but said he was “at a desperate point” and had taken a chance that cost him his freedom and to be “away from the ones that I love”.
“As a first timer I would really like the opportunity to further my trade [ as a tailor],” Mascoll added, before taking the opportunity, much to the amusement of those in court, to show a bit of his work by having a prison guard stand and show his uniform pants, which he had made in prison.
His case continues next Tuesday when two character witnesses will speak on his behalf.
The post ‘Give me a chance’ appeared first on Barbados Today.
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