On Wednesday, he refused to give his name and address to a constable who was reporting him.
However, even though Public Service Vehicle (PSV) driver James Anthony Andrews thought he was being reported wrongfully and wanted “to be heard”, he was not sure it was worth it.
The Apple Hall, St Philip resident told acting Magistrate Elwood Watts today that he neither enjoyed being at a police station for an entire day nor losing a day’s pay in the process.
The 32-year-old pleaded guilty to obstructing the passage of vehicles along Nursery Drive Road and to refusing to give the policeman the necessary information.
According to the facts which Sergeant Theodore McClean outlined, when police saw Andrews on Nursery Drive Road, other vehicles were behind him, unable to pass. No vehicles were ahead of his, the door to the minivan was open and the conductor outside.
The police then stopped Andrews and told him he had committed an offence but he failed to give his particulars, remarking that, “You would have to take me in because I want to be heard”. He was arrested.
Andrews explained to the District ‘A’ Traffic Court
that a van stopped in front of him to turn around and he therefore had to wait but the policeman did not appear to have seen it.
“I didn’t stop to pick up passengers . . . and I don’t feel he should have reported me for something I didn’t do.”
Andrews also said that the lawman said he was going to make an example of him.
“He should make an example of the ones who give the trouble, not me,” Andrews stressed.
He however said that all the other policemen with whom he came into contact told him he was wrong to have refused to give the information.
“I accept I was wrong, sir,” Andrews told Watts today.
“They right to bring you into custody . . . I don’t feel sorry for you but I think you lost enough yesterday already.”
The acting Magistrate allowed Andrews to maintain a clean record when he reprimanded and discharged him with a warning not to do it again.