7 News Belize

Double Amputee Gets Mercy From Court
posted (October 20, 2014)
28 year-old Stephan Domingo was spared jail time today after being caught with weed, accepting guilt, but being unable to pay the fine.

Police say that at around 2:30 on last week Friday evening, they went to his house in Hattieville to search for drugs. At the time, he was in the company of 2 other men, when they found a bag beside him which contained 3 grams - or 0.1 ounces - of cannabis. All 3 men were charged with drug possession. They were all arraigned before Magistrate Herbert Panton today, and Domingo accepted guilt for the drugs.

The problem is that he is a double amputee, and his only source of income is a monthly stipend of $40. This meant that he would have a very difficult time to pay the $200 fine. Also, he had a fine from 2006 when he was convicted of harm. He was supposed to pay $200 for that case also, but to date, he hasn't paid any money toward it. This meant that he would have to serve several months in jail because he defaulted on payment.

Taking into consideration his disability and his income, Magistrate Panton gave him an extension on the deadline for that 2006 fine, gave him until next year to pay both. Both men who were charged with him were able to go free because the charge was withdrawn against them.

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