By KEILE CAMPBELL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
A Long Island man who admitted to struggling with cannabis addiction was ordered to attend six months of drug counselling after pleading guilty to possession of dangerous drugs nearly three years after his initial arrest.
Sidney Pinder appeared before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley in Court #9, where he pleaded guilty to possession of Indian hemp stemming from a December 2022 arrest in Mt Thompson, Exuma.
According to court records, Pinder was found with approximately two grams of marijuana, an amount he described in court as “one lil small joint.”
Pinder was granted police bail at the time and instructed to return to court within two weeks. However, his failure to appear went unnoticed until April of this year.
While addressing the court, Pinder acknowledged his past struggles with drug dependency. He disclosed that he had previously undergone detox treatment at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre and clarified that his time there was not due to mental illness but substance misuse.
Chief Magistrate Reckley offered Pinder options under the law, and Pinder elected to pursue probation. The magistrate acknowledged Pinder’s candour regarding his addiction and commended him for previously seeking help through rehabilitation services.
Pinder was placed on six months’ probation and ordered to undergo drug counselling for the same duration. The matter was adjourned to October 16 for a progress update.
He is expected to return to court on Monday to provide proof of enrolment in a counselling programme.
