Man Gets 12 Months’ Probation For Cocaine & Ganja Consumption. He Must Also Complete 40 Hours Of Community Service.
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By Alric Lindsay
Arlington Bennett Hyde appeared in the Summary Court today, July 9, 2025, to face charges for ganja and cocaine consumption. The Chief Magistrate ordered that Hyde be subject to a 12-month probation order and complete 40 hours of community service. Upon successful completion of the probation, no conviction will be recorded.
Background
According to Crown Counsel from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, on July 5, 2024, an incident occurred between Hyde and his wife at their matrimonial home. Reportedly, the police were called, and as a result of the complaint, Hyde was arrested.
When Hyde was tested, he was found to have consumed cocaine and cannabis.
Arguing on his behalf, Attorney Stacy-Ann Kelly noted that Hyde had some personal issues with his soon-to-be ex-wife. Kelly added that, according to a report, Hyde “was using the cocaine because of the stress from the marital issues that he was facing.”
Kelly continued:
He added that cocaine has ruined his life and that it slowed him down.
He said he’s going through so much in his personal life that he wasn’t sociable so he stayed to himself and didn’t talk to anyone about what he was feeling or experiencing.
Kelly said further that Hyde wished he had never taken up the use of cocaine.
While Kelly continued to read from a report, it was revealed that Hyde had been smoking ganja since he was 13 years old. As a result, Hyde was described as having a “dependency” on ganja.
At this stage of his dependency, Hyde was reportedly using the ganja for pain management and to relax. (In the absence of a medical card, he was “self-medicating.”)
Kelly explained that since Hyde’s arrest, he “experienced some hardship,” having been asked to vacate a home that he contributed to. In the meantime, he had been living in a “shed” of some sort outside a friend’s house.
After setting out the above for the court, Kelly asked the Chief Magistrate to adopt the suggestion made in the report produced for Hyde, described as a “special result.”
Attorney Stacy-Ann Kelly
Following submissions from counsels, the Chief Magistrate noted that Hyde was a previous participant in a drug rehabilitation programme. Reportedly, there were also efforts to get him into Caribbean Haven.
Notwithstanding that the foregoing efforts were either not successful or did not materialise, the Chief Magistrate highlighted positive aspects about Hyde. These include Hyde being a hard worker. Reportedly, he was even described by his wife as a “jack of all trades.”
The Chief Magistrate added that Hyde’s wife reportedly stated that it was a great marriage up until the point Hyde started using cocaine. Therefore, cocaine was described as a “downfall” in Hyde’s life.
The Chief Magistrate stressed to Hyde:
Your addiction to ganja will not always be satisfied by ganja.
That is why you went and you experimented with other stuff… because an addiction to one thing will then stop being satisfied and then you keep graduating to other stuff. It is a downward spiral of one’s life.
The Chief Magistrate noted that, notwithstanding Hyde’s challenges, he “minimised” his addiction.
The Chief Magistrate continued:
You try to blame the marriage and your wife and everything else for all of what has happened when, as your counsel just said, you are the only person responsible for what you do.
After considering the relevant matters, the Chief Magistrate placed Hyde on a 12-month probation order. During this time, Hyde must complete all programs assigned by his probation officer.
Hyde must also complete random drug testing and produce clean results.
Lastly, Hyde must do 40 hours of community service.
If there is no breach in the 12 months, then no conviction will be recorded.
