Saturday, February 4 2012

A SOUTH African man and his Brazilian wife both appeared before a Port-of-Spain magistrate yesterday charged with possession of firearms and ammunition including a starting cannon with 194 lead balls.

Stephen Clarke-Grey, 58, and his 33-year-old wife both remained silent as they appeared before Magistrate Christine Charles at the Seventh Court. They were represented by defence attorney John Heath.

The couple were charged with possession of a Remington .44 revolver, a starting cannon with 194 lead balls, 74 rounds of assorted ammunition and 940 grammes of gun powder. These charges were laid indictably and the couple were not called upon to enter a plea.

Stephen Clarke-Grey was slapped with two additional charges, namely, making false declarations on a customs form and importing prohibited goods into this country. The latter two offences were said to have occurred on November 16 and the charges were also laid indictably.

However, a summary trial was recommended by police prosecutor Sgt Anderson Gonzales for the declaration charge. The South African man pleaded not guilty to this offence. Heath in his application for bail, explained that his instructions were that neither of his clients have any convictions in any jurisdiction and thus ought to be considered persons of good character.

He further noted that the vessel upon which they entered this country had been seized along with the couple’s passports and travel documents and they therefore ought not to be considered flight risks. After the court was informed that the State was not in possession of a background tracing on the charged couple, Charles indicated that she was not prepared to proceed at that time. The matter was then adjourned to Monday.

The couple were arrested after officers from the Marine Interdiction Unit (MIU), Customs and the Organised Crime Narcotics and Firearms Bureau (OCNFB), acting on information received, boarded a yacht displaying a British flag at about 4 am on Thursday.