ST JAMES, Jamaica — A man who blamed a string of bad luck after being caught with ganja and a forged pass to a restricted area of the Sangster International Airport, has taken the judge’s advice not to waste the court’s time by allowing the matter to go to trial.

St James resident Everaldo Appleton, 38, had previously pleaded not guilty to possession and dealing in 0.29 ounces of ganja, uttering a forged document and breaches of the Civil Aviation Regulations.

He changed his plea in the St James Parish Court on Monday.

According to court records, about 2:40 pm on October 23, 2022, Appleton was seen on the grounds of the airport’s transportation area.

He was searched, and a transparent plastic contained containing green vegetable matter resembling ganja was found in his rear pants pocket.

The police doubted the authenticity of an ID attached to his shirt, and subsequent investigations revealed that he had entered a restricted section of the airport using a forged pass.

When cautioned, Appleton reportedly said to the officer, “Jah know, a jus nuh my day.”

On Monday, presiding parish judge Sasha-Marie Smith-Ashley advised Appleton not to waste the court’s time if he knew he was guilty.

“Mr Appleton, before we begin the trial, it is my duty to advise you that if you know you are guilty, those who plead guilty without taking the court to a trial and then found guilty are entitled to discounts… If you don’t have any previous convictions, this will work in your favour, as will your age, and if you have dependents…These are the things that the court can take into account…. If you go to a trial and found guilty, the penalty will be much more severe,” the judge explained to him.

“So, what is it, sir? Did you have the container in your pocket, and did you have a pass that you knew was fraudulent?” the judge then enquired.

“Yes, your honour,” the accused man said, and he entered a guilty plea to all the charges.

When the judge asked him why he did it, he explained that he had been dismissed from his job at a tour company. He described his actions at the airport as merely packing some bags on a bus to make some money, a legitimate job but one he was not hired to do.

The judge then fined him $1,000 or 10 days in jail for having the ganja and $4,000 or 10 days in jail on the dealing charge.

Regarding the charges of uttering a forged document and breaching the civil aviation regulations, the judge informed Appleton that he would be required to pay $50,000 on each charge. However, he did not have the funds available.

The judge subsequently set the case to be heard again on April 13 and advised Appleton to have the funds available then.