Every three years or so, fisherman Patrick Andrew Brathwaite would pilot a boatload of drugs into Barbados’ waters.
In fact, he attempted to land more than 535 kilos, or 1 166 pounds of marijuana, in three trips, between July 2005 and October 2012.
But his drug running days were put to rest by the No. 1 Supreme Court when Justice Jacqueline Cornelius jailed him for a total of 26 years on Friday. However, because the three sentences run concurrently, Brathwaite will only spend ten years in HMP Dodds.
Brathwaite, of No. 1 Welches, Christ Church, was back before the judge for sentencing after he had pleaded guilty to having, trafficking and importing 367.2 kilos of cannabis on October 7, 2012, and possessing, trafficking and importing nine kilos of drugs on July 7, 2005. That 2005 amount did not include the bales of drugs he tossed overboard when he thought he was being chased by the Coast Guard.
In addition, he was convicted by a jury, in February 2017, for possession and trafficking in 162.16 kilos of cannabis on June 8, 2008.
Justice Cornelius pointed to Brathwaite’s nine previous convictions, dating back to 1985, and the quantity of drugs he sought to bring into the island.
“Your level of participation was significant as you colluded with a man in St Vincent,” the judge said, adding the quantity of drugs imported was an aggravating factor.
On October 7, 2012, Coast Guard officers saw Brathwaite in a boat four nautical miles off Needhams Point. The boat had on 16 bags of marijuana.
In July 2005, Brathwaite loaded his boat with marijuana in St Vincent. However, on his approach to Barbados, he started to dump bales because he thought he was being intercepted by the Coast Guard.
He eventually was intercepted seven to eight nautical miles off Barbados and Coast Guard officers saw him throwing the remaining two bales off his boat.
During his trial, the court heard Brathwaite was seen throwing packages overboard. Nine bales were later recovered.
The judge sentenced him to nine years for trafficking the drugs in 2012; seven years for drug trafficking in 2005; and ten years for trafficking in 2008. The sentences run concurrently.
However, she ordered that the time Brathwaite had spent on remand be taken into consideration. As a result, he will spend the remaining nine years, 180 days in prison.
She convicted, reprimanded and discharged him for the other offences. (HLE)
