Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

A correctional officer, who was held with contraband, including ganja and rum, while on duty at the St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centre, has lost his appeal against his 12-month prison sentence.

Devon Haughton, 35, had appealed on the grounds that his trial was unfair and the sentence was manifestly excessive; but the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal.

The court did not call on crown counsels, Chester Crooks and Winsome Pennicooke, to respond to the grounds of appeal.

Fined $15,000

Resident Magistrate Lorna Errar Gayle convicted Haughton in August, last year. The RM sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment for carrying prohibited items into the prison and fined him $15,000 for possession of ganja and dealing in ganja.

Senior officers searched Haughton's motor car (in his presence) on March 16, 2004, at the institution and found ganja weighing about ten ounces in a bag, packs of cigarettes, a pack of Rizzla, (used to roll ganja spliff), two mobile phones, and three bottles of alcohol.

The RM, in sentencing Haughton, told him that he did not bring the contraband into the facility for his personal use "but no doubt to sell to the inmates."

The RM said the offences were committed at a time when the country was plagued with allegations of criminals behind bars being able to run their own operations on the outside and even ordering who was to be killed. She told Haughton that he betrayed the trust reposed in him by the authorities and the Jamaican people.