WESTERN BUREAU — A 20-year-old mother who was charged with possession of, dealing in and attempting to export ganja, begged the court for mercy last Monday, but, nonetheless, was sent to prison for three months for the offence.

The young woman — Stephanie Whyte — was found with 13.5 pounds of the substance while on her way to the Turks and Caicos Islands on August 23.

She was stopped at the Sangster International Airport’s security checkpoint and her luggage searched. The drug was inside her suitcase.

When she appeared before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate’s Court, she pleaded guilty to the charges and then proceeded to ask for the court’s mercy, saying she was sorry for having committed the offence.

At the same time, she told the court she was the mother of a young daughter who was being “under protected”.

“This is a very serious offence Miss Whyte,” RM Valerie Stephens told the accused, having heard her submission to the court.

For possession of the drug she was fined $15,000 or six months; for dealing in it, she was fined another $26,800 or three months; and for attempting to export it she was fined $41,600 or three months and sentenced to three months imprisonment at hard labour.