All of Clive Christopher Hutson’s “creativity” will be destroyed and he now owes the No 5A Supreme Court a further $10 000 after he pleaded guilty to having a home-made gun yesterday.
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“This isn’t the pipe gun that you and I are accustomed to,” Justice Christopher Birch told defence attorney Samuel Legay.
“This isn’t a piece of rusty pipe and a nail. This, even though it is homemade, this is a shotgun. This isn’t a pistol. This is dangerous, misguided creativity. It is a shame that this mason put his talents to the wrong purpose.”
Hutson, 60, of Harris Road, Mount Hill, St George, had pleaded guilty to having a firearm in his possession on September 14, 2025. The matter was prosecuted by State Counsel Rommel Sandiford.
Dangers home-made guns posed
“Only this week my sister [judge] Justice [Pamela] Beckles was admonishing another accused about a home-made firearm and spoke to the dangers home-made guns posed to society,” Justice Birch said.
He added there was a “level of sophistication” as well as craftsmanship displayed by Hutson, who had admitted making the weapon.
However, the judge noted: “Firearms are meant to be precision made items.”
The wrong hands
He added the home-made weapon was not only a danger to any intended target, but to Hutson as well. “There is relief that the item is no longer in his hands, hasn’t fallen into the wrong hands and it will be destroyed.”
Justice Birch chastised Hutson: “It is not a good look for a man entering his seventh decade in life. It reflects badly to young people who are already exposed to ammosexuality. I can only put his behaviour down to a loss of sense.”
He said he had considered the aggravating and mitigating features of the case and determined that 12 years was the appropriate starting sentence.
He then deducted one year for the mitigating features, one-third for the guilty plea and the 311 days Hutson spent on remand.
The judge, however, noted the “interests of justice are well suited to the imposition of a non-custodial sentence and a fine”.
In the end, he fined Hutson $15 000 and ordered him to pay $5 000 immediately. The remainder must be paid in six months or Hutson will spend 2 499 days in prison.
The matter will be reviewed on October 30. (HLE)