West Bay resident Daury Martinez has been fined a total of $1,225 after pleading guilty to several charges, including driving without insurance and abandonment of an animal.
In handing down the fines on Monday, Magistrate Philippa McFarlane told Martinez, 22, that she had imposed “a mere fraction” of what he could have had to pay, and that he had been at risk of receiving a custodial sentence.
Martinez was given until 28 Feb. to pay the fines and was told by McFarlane, “These fines need to be prioritised,” adding, “It’s not meant to feel easy.”
The court was told how in November 2019, Martinez’s shih tzu dog had gone missing and ended up in the animal pound at the Agriculture Grounds for more than a week before being reclaimed by Martinez.
In his defence, Martinez’s lawyer John Furniss said the dog had frequently escaped and Martinez was usually reunited with his dog after putting alerts out on social media.
Stopped in West Bay
The court also heard how Martinez was stopped by police officers on West Church Street in West Bay on 30 March 2022 after his driving aroused suspicion. Martinez, who initially gave officers a false name, admitted that he was driving while suspended and it was found that he was also driving without insurance and without a valid certificate of roadworthiness.
Martinez’s girlfriend, who is expecting their child in December, currently drives him to and from his job working with the blue iguanas at Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park.
Martinez was told that regardless of his personal situation, he was looking at a custodial sentence if he drove again while being disqualified.
Wake-up call
McFarlane said, “Twenty-two years is old enough to start learning the consequences of your decision-making, which has been exceedingly poor over the last few years. I do not have a whole lot of sympathy for you. … You need to wake up.”
She imposed fines of $500 for abandonment of an animal by failing to exercise proper care and supervision, $200 for driving without being qualified, $300 for driving without insurance, $50 for using a vehicle without a certificate of roadworthiness and $150 for using a vehicle with expired registration. Martinez was also fined $25 for failing to surrender his driving licence.
As well as the financial penalties, Martinez was ordered to do 80 hours of community service and was disqualified from driving for two years.
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