By Farrah Johnson

Tribune Staff Reporter

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A man who claimed he violated the curfew because he left his home to pick up a bag of groceries from his brother was fined $250 on Friday.

Daltino Thurston, 32, was arrested after officers found him on Palmetto Avenue around 11.05am on August 8.

He pleaded guilty to violating the curfew in a hearing before Magistrate Samuel Mckinney, but said he only did so because he was “very hungry and went to pick up some groceries”.

The prosecution said officers were on mobile patrol near Palmetto Avenue when they noticed the defendant standing by a building. When they approached and questioned him, Thurston told the officers he was getting a package from his brother’s house. He was subsequently arrested and taken to a nearby station. In an interview with police there, he reiterated his original explanation for being on the road during curfew hours.

When given an opportunity to speak during the arraignment, Thurston told the magistrate he had done a number of cleaning jobs that day and had fallen asleep as soon as he had arrived home from work. He claimed when he woke later that night, he was extremely hungry so he decided to take a risk and go to his brother’s house since his brother had collected a bag of groceries from their member of parliament for him earlier that day.

After listening to his explanation, Magistrate McKinney accepted Thurston’s guilty plea and fined him $250 or one month at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

On Friday, Brian St Louis, 19, was also charged for violating the curfew after police found him on Carmichael Road without a face mask around 4pm on August 15.

He pleaded guilty to both offences and was fined $300 for violating the curfew and another $150 for failing to wear a face mask.

During the arraignment, St Louis told the magistrate he left his home because he was trying to go to his uncle’s house to get some lunch money. He claimed he planned to buy food and another face mask with the money because the mask he currently had was already worn out.