A Jamaican-born British woman was freed in the St James Parish Court on Tuesday after she was found not guilty of cocaine charges.

Anatalie Duncan-John, a 45-year-old engineer from Manchester, England, had been on trial for possession of, dealing in, attempting to export and conspiracy to export 10 pounds of cocaine. She was represented by attorney-at-law Christopher Townsend.

It is alleged that Duncan-John was at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James, on August 16, 2023, preparing to board a TUI flight to London, when she was intercepted by narcotics officers.

Her two suitcases were searched, and cocaine was allegedly found in food items, which resulted in her being arrested and charged.

John Pinnock, a self-employed resident of Barbican, was later arrested and charged after a WhatsApp conversation with Duncan-John implicated him.

Attorney Henry McCurdy, who initially represented Duncan-John, argued in a previous court appearance that the defendant was merely a pawn being used by criminals.

“She is adamant that she is innocent and that she was used by [a] criminal enterprise,” said McCurdy, who also noted that Duncan-John has no previous convictions.

McCurdy also argued that she came to Jamaica to find a home for her 12-year-old autistic daughter.

During a previous court hearing, Townsend sought to obtain an acquittal with a no case submission.
On February 18, Townsend stated in his closing arguments that his client’s conduct before and after the discovery demonstrate a lack of knowledge. He also alluded to a statement made by the investigator, noting that it had not been explored by the prosecution.

“The officer said that during his investigation, he has uncovered that John Pinnock has an association and affiliation with the hotel [where Duncan-John was staying] which would be consistent with the grooming of Miss Duncan-John who travels to the hotel on a vacation,” Townsend said.

The lawyer implied that Pinnock had groomed her, forming a bond with her based on her vulnerability, particularly her sick child.

Townsend also referred to his client’s claim that the items appeared normal, emphasising her lack of awareness of the presence of cocaine within them, and advised presiding judge Kaysha Grant-Pryce to view the evidence as suspicious.

Grant-Pryce declared in her judgment that she found the defendant not guilty on the grounds that she believed she was genuinely unaware that the items in question contained cocaine.

Meanwhile, Pinnock is before another judge in another court in relation to this matter.