By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN awaiting a murder trial was granted bail yesterday after being accused of having a banned assault rifle near his home in January.

Brinton Thompson, 36, was granted $9,500 bail on charges of possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of dangerous drugs, and two counts of possession of ammunition before Justice Joyann Ferguson.

Prosecutors allege police found a black and brown high-powered rifle with the serial number erased, along with sixteen 7.62mm rounds and ten .223 rounds, in an abandoned structure near Thompson’s New Providence residence on 28 January.

That same day, 1 1/8oz of marijuana was allegedly found inside his home.

At the time of the alleged offence, Thompson was on release awaiting trial for the murder of Randino Pratt, who prosecutors say was shot and killed outside Corner Pocket Bar on St James Road on 12 November 2011.

Under his bail conditions, Thompson must sign in at the Wulff Road Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday by 6pm. He is also required to wear a monitoring device.

Damian White represented the accused.