Father of 15 held with 321 pounds of weed

A Bull Bay, St Andrew, fisherman who is a father of 15 was fined almost $400,000 after pleading guilty to being in possession of 321 pounds of ganja at his home.

It was shared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Wednesday that police, armed with a search warrant, visited the home of Richard Ashman on December 30, 2023, and found parcels of vegetable matter resembling ganja in a fowl coop. Ashman, when cautioned, told investigators that "Me a hold them fi a Haitian lady."

He was subsequently arrested and charged with taking steps to export ganja, dealing in ganja and possession of ganja; offences to which he admitted guilt before Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque.

In a plea mitigation, the attorney-at-law representing Ashman, submitted that he had possession of the premises but did not do "due diligence to restrict use by other persons". The lawyer added that her client has no previous convictions and this was his first interaction with the law.

Cole-Montaque imposed a fine of $15,000 or six months' imprisonment at hard labour for possession of ganja and a fine of $350,000 or 18 months' imprisonment at hard labour for taking steps to export.

Ashman, 37, was admonished and discharged on the count of dealing in ganja. His mother, Amoy Ashman, who was also charged, was discharged from the courts as the Crown withdrew the matters against her.