A man who attempted to hide himself when he saw a party of police officers cruising along Brown's Lane in Lambeau last Saturday night, was on Monday ordered to pay a fine of $2,000 at once or serve 40 days imprisonment with hard labour for being in possession of 3.5 grammes of marijuana.

Senior Magistrate Annette McKenzie in the Scarborough First Court gave Clint Winchester the sentence.

Winchester was arrested and charged by Constable Keron Morang, of the Old Grange Police Station.

The court heard from Prosecutor, Corporal (Cpl) John Morrison, that around 7 pm last Saturday, Constable Morang and other officers, all dressed in plain clothes, were on patrol duty in the Lambeau area, when Morang observed Winchester and other persons standing next to some steps in the vicinity of Brown's Lane.

The young constable also observed that Winchester looked in the direction of the approaching police party and attempted to conceal himself.

Constable Morang became suspicious and alighted from the vehicle, whereupon Winchester took off. Morang gave chase and held him a short distance away. When he was searched, Constable Morang found a transparent packet containing marijuana, which amounted to 3.5 grammes in the left back pocket of the pants.