MONTEGO BAY, St James — A woman who was caught plying her wares in an unauthorised location cried uncontrollably in court on Wednesday after being fined $15,000.

Yvonne Bryan, who appeared to be in her late 60s or early 70s, was taken before the St James Parish Court for allegedly displaying merchandise for sale in a prohibited area.

The exact date of the offence was not disclosed, but the court was informed that Bryan was seen exhibiting her products on St James Street rather than her designated location on Church Lane.

“Him [the municipal officer] a tek set pon mi,” Bryan blurted out as the court clerk apprised the court of the allegations.

“I was not selling that day. I sat down and put the bag in the ‘Chiney’ man’s place because rain was falling and he [the officer] went inside there and took it out,” said a visibly upset Bryan.

The judge then asked the accused woman where she would have placed the bag if it was not raining, and she said she would have put it in the lane where she sells.

“Why are you selling in the lane?” presiding judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton asked.

“Your Honour, I paid $10,000 to sell there,” said Bryan.

At that point, the municipal officer informed the court that this was not Bryan’s first appearance in court for the specific offence. He went on to say that she had in fact paid $10,000 for accommodation on Church Lane, which is a designated area for vendors. Nonetheless, the officer pointed out that Bryan was seen on the sidewalk of St James Street.

“Are you guilty or not guilty ma’am?” the judge then asked.

“I’m guilty,” Bryan replied.

“You are fined $15,000 or 10 days in jail,” Judge Fairclough-Hylton then told the defendant.

“Mi nuh have so much money,” Bryan told the judge, and then began crying loudly in the courtroom.

“Mi old and him a tek set pon mi, and yuh a charge me too much money,” the accused woman said as she exited the prisoner’s dock.