Mario Matthew accused of running away from cops while in hand-cuffs and for having in his possession a quantity of drugs including cocaine. Photo: VINO

The court heard that it was some three months ago, November 1, 2014 that Matthew allegedly tried to evade police even while in handcuffs.

He is facing a total of four charges; Possession of controlled drugs, having been accused of being in possession of 24.7 grams of cocaine. He pleaded not guilty; possession of a control drug, having been said that he was held with 1.2 grams of cannabis in Road Town. He pleaded not guilty; theft, in that it is alleged that on the same day he stole a pair of handcuffs belonging to the police and to that he pleaded not guilty; on the count of escaping lawful custody, he maintained his innocence by again pleading not guilty.

The prosecution alleged that it was ‎around 1:00 am on the day in question that a team of police officers was in the Scatliffe Alley area at Road Town when they observed Matthew placing something on a wall.

They were also allegedly keen to have observed a young lady sitting in a car nearby that they believed to have been driven by Matthew.

Matthew was then allegedly approached by the police officers who reported that they had identified themselves to Matthew before informing him of their observations.

They then requested to search him and his vehicle at which time they said he made attempts to run away but was restrained.

The episode allegedly continued as it was claimed that while he was being restrained by police, he reportedly threw a small zip lock bag over a wall and instructed the woman who was sitting in the vehicle to "pick up the thing and run".

The prosecution said that by this time, other officers approached from the other direction and the woman ran off but without grabbing hold of the item.

The police then searched the area and they allegedly found two bags; one allegedly containing what was believed to have been cocaine and the other marijuana.

They said that when Matthew was shown the items he denied being the owner. Following a further search, which was conducted on the wall, officers found two plastic cylinder tubes containing a rock-like substance which appeared to have been ‘crack’ cocaine.

The court heard that it was as they were picking up the items they heard Matthew saying, “move out the way” at which point he made a dash as he fled the scene still in handcuffs.

It was not said whether or not police pursued and did or did not capture the accused on the said day but they said he was later arrested.

Matthew has employed the services of former magistrate now into private practice, Attorney at Law Mrs Valerie Stephens-Gordon, who told the court that her client had admitted that he was addicted to smoking weed (marijuana) but was firm in noting that he made it placidly clear that he was not a man to be dealing with chemical drugs or crack cocaine‎.

The court heard that during the early morning hours of November 1, 2014 police did make a sweep of the area and apprehended her client who insisted that there were many others in the area when police arrived but they all fled the scene and allegedly told Matthew that he had to take the rap as all the other suspects had fled the scene.

Having listened to both sides, Senior Magistrate Richards placed the accused on $70k bail with one surety, that he reports to the East End Police Station‎ every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between the hours of 6:00am and 12noon and he is to honour a curfew of staying indoors between the hours of 7:00pm and 7:00am. He is to return to court on April 23, 2015.