Keston Riley pleaded guilty to a charge of fraudulent evasion of customs duty charged with two others. Riley’s sentencing was postponed pending character reports, pending sentencing which was due to take place on March 31.
The Montserrat Port Authority, now potential former employee to his surprise was given a two-month prison sentence for illegally removing car tires from the port’s warehouse last year. Justice Iain Morley in imposing the sentence, after he had sentenced one other who pleaded guilty in the same matter to a fine of $3,000.00, reportedly said that Riley must serve at least two thirds of his sentence before any release from jail. A third person also charged with for a similar offence in the same matter had the charge against him dropped.
Riley is said to have quietly expressed unease about his sentence. It is believed although his Attorney David S Brandt has not so indicated Riley may be considering the move that an Appeal might be in his favour, in that several other counts of the same charge had been dropped prior to his guilty plea.
The young Montserratian man has found sympathy with persons in the community regarding the prison sentence which had been early hinted by the judge because he is mainly responsible for an infant and a sick mother.