Court denies travel application by British woman on cocaine charges

WESTERN BUREAU:

The St James Parish Court denied an application to vary the bail conditions for Kadisha Thomas-Jackson, a British resident who allegedly tried to smuggle one pound of cocaine through the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay last October, when she made her latest court appearance on Friday.

Thomas-Jackson, 25, of a London, England address, who appeared before the St James Parish Court is charged with possession of, dealing in, and attempting to export cocaine.

Stop-order

She is currently out on $450,000 bail with conditions that include orders to report to the police three times weekly, and a stop-order preventing her from travelling overseas.

During Friday’s court proceedings, Thomas-Jackson stood calmly in the prisoner’s dock while her lawyer Michael Hemmings made an application on her behalf before presiding Parish Judge Sasha Ashley for her to be allowed to travel overseas.

“I am wondering if the court would be minded to let Ms Thomas-Jackson travel to the United Kingdom and return here when the Crown is in a position to mount a prosecution. Her real ties are in the United Kingdom ... she wants the matter dealt with so she can get on with her life,” Hemmings asked Ashley.

“I have heard your application. However, I am not able to consider it today. But on March 1, we may revisit the application,” Ashley replied, before setting the case for mention on that date.

The court was also told that several documents are still outstanding from the prosecution’s case file, including the forensic certificate and a corroborating officer’s statement. Interestingly, those same documents were outstanding from the file when the case was previously mentioned on November 4.