Waylon Johnston
Court jails ex-security guard who ‘smoked 12 joints a day’
A court yesterday rejected a former security guard’s claim that the 250 grammes of cannabis he was caught with were for his personal use because he smoked 12 joints a day.
Nicholas Gauci, 31, of Rabat, was jailed for a year and fined €1,500 for possession of the drug denoting it was not for his exclusive use.
He was caught red-handed in a police operation.
The police started investigating the case after they were informed that a drug deal would take place in Lija on June 26, 2007, the court heard. On the day in question, a police surveillance team saw a white Pajero four-wheeler and a white Honda civic pull up next to each other and a suspicious exchange take place. The police followed both cars and stopped the Honda, driven by Mr Gauci, in Mtarfa. They found the cannabis inside the vehicle, the court was told.
In a statement to the police, Mr Gauci claimed it was for his own personal use because he would smoke about 12 joints a day. But Magistrate Marseann Farrugia said this did not make sense. He could make hundreds of joints using 250 grammes and, anyway, where would he find the time to smoke them all considering that at the time he had a full-time job to deal with, she asked.
Another point raised by the magistrate was that Mr Gauci had made an arrangement with the drug trafficker, known as Il-Mundu, to pay for the drug later. They cost him €355. Such type of behaviour did not indicate it was someone who claimed to have a lot of money, the magistrate said.
The court noted that Mr Gauci should benefit from a reduction in punishment because he would be testifying against others.
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Johnathan Cilia
Oct 31st 2011, 00:48
Under justice fail. This guy was causing absolutely no harm to anybody and was jailed for it. Nice one, justice system. How about you go cut another driving ban's sentence down to 6 months, starting when the guy enters jail http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111030/local/Driving-ban-cut-insult-to-society-.391309 even after he hits 2 little girls.
Christian Sciberras
Nov 2nd 2011, 20:29
Incredible. You are telling as a guard caused no harm in smoking that much?
Are you the same guy that doesn't care if bus driver work with boxers and now shirts at all?
Christian Sciberras
Oct 28th 2011, 12:37
That's what "get a life" means to Maltese...drugs and sex.
It seems each time there's a drug conviction or under-age obscenities, there's someone shushing people telling those that disagree to get a life.
I kind of prefer stone dead than hallucinating and bullshitting the way society seems to dictate. You'd think with the number of beliefs, religions, mystics out there, someone would have had the sense to stop "getting a life" and **inventing** stuff....but no, chill out, get a life...HAVE A JOINT!!
David Caruana
Oct 28th 2011, 10:40
0.25grams = 1 joint
250grams = 1,000 joints
@ 12 joints per day = 83 days
So they guy got himself worth of 3 months stock. So what?! It's not like he can go to a coffee-shop and buy whenever he feels like it like he would do in the Netherlands - another European state.
250grams @ EUR355 = EUR1.42/gram?!
Anyone's got this Mundu guy's number? lol
steve Micallef
Oct 28th 2011, 09:43
still can't understand why all this nonsense over a joint? when you can go and drink your self silly and cause grater harm to your self and others but tax money and police time is being spent on catching the end user of a joint? who cases no harm what so ever!
can some one please tell me what are the dangers of smoking a joint? come on we have all these know it all's on the Island some one must know the dangers. . . . . .
was in Valletta on Tuesday a fight broke out where the new parliament is being built no Police in sight? there where at least 200 ppl there where where the police - chasing the joint smoker? the kaccatur?
Saturday night in Pacaville where are the police?
David Mercieca
Oct 28th 2011, 09:18
How is it this justice? How is it that a man that is caught in possession of Cannabis, which in many countries is considered less harmful then alcohol and tobacco, is jailed for a year and a man who stole and what not is handed a suspended sentence?
Sean Fenech
Oct 28th 2011, 10:05
They once handed a TEN YEAR PRISON SENTENCE OVER TWO JOINTS to one of John Lennon's close friends as he was about to start a revolution and the FBI didn't want that. We need a constitutional reform, no one wants to do anything.
Christian Sciberras
Oct 28th 2011, 12:33
Sean, just because someone is doing harm to society in a way you deem "positive" doesn't mean that someone (or his/her friends) is above the law.
See, this country is full of crap because of people like you which close an eye (or both) because of personal opinions. You think our judges do not do this already? Think again!
And the great thing about it is the guy calling the kettle black isn't doing any better!
Gustav Svensson
Oct 28th 2011, 08:48
1 year seems extreemly short.