Canadian arrested for cocaine to spend Christmas in jail
Published:Thursday | December 19, 2019 | 12:35 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Canadian national Fredrick Williams, who was arrested and charged for attempting to smuggle cocaine out of Jamaica, will spend Christmas in jail as he was remanded when he appeared in the St James Parish Court yesterday to answer the charges against him.
The 61-year-old Williams, a tiler of Mississauga, Canada, and Catherine Mount, St James, was arrested on December 8 after reportedly attempting to smuggle 142 capsules of cocaine out of Jamaica via Sangster International Airport.
When he appeared in court yesterday, Williams wore a calm expression when he pleaded guilty to the charges of possession of, dealing in, and attempting to export cocaine.
During the court proceedings, Williams’ lawyer, Charles Sinclair, asked Wong-Small to delay his client’s sentencing hearing so that a social-enquiry report could be prepared for the defendant.
“Your Honour, the accused man is resident in Canada, and we’ll ask for another date so a social-enquiry report can be done as well as other litigation to be done. What I’ll be getting from there in Canada will be in a form that I can present to the court, which speaks to his character,” Sinclair told Wong-Small.
Wong-Small subsequently ordered that Williams’ fingerprints be taken and that he be kept in custody until January 28 when the report is expected to be prepared in time for his sentencing hearing.
According to reports, Williams was arrested at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay on December 8 as he was preparing to board a flight destined for Toronto, Canada.
During security screening, Williams’ behaviour aroused the airport officers’ suspicions. He was subsequently taken to hospital, where he expelled 142 home-made capsules containing cocaine valued at J$1.5 million. He was arrested and later charged.