Old Runway resident, Ed Archibald, has been ordered to an 18-month jail term when he appeared in the St. John’s Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday for sentencing after being found guilty for the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Senior Magistrate attached to District B, Ngaio Emanuel, imposed the 18-month prison term for the firearm offence and a further 6 months for the ammunition offence. Both are to run concurrently.
Magistrate Emanuel followed the sentencing guidelines as established by the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court when making her decision.
The case was considered Category 3 offence (lesser) with a level B – medium seriousness. For such a sentence, the ECSC recommends a starting point of 40 percent of the 5 years maximum sentence.
The court also took into account Archibald’s explanation for being found with the weapon and ammunition. He told the court that he was on his way to surrender the items as part of the current Gun Amnesty announced by the government.
However, with the St. John’s Police Station now operating from a temporary location at Dredge Bay, the court found it difficult to believe that Archibald would bypass the station less than a mile from his home in Old Runway and to be found in the city centre with the weapon.
