San Fernando magistrate Taramattie Ramdass says she will not tolerate illegal vending, especially when it comes to the sale of profane DVDs.She said this yesterday after ordering vendor Joshua Ling, who was arrested for vending on High Street, to pay a $1,000 fine for selling profane DVDs."High Street is always full of children...Sometimes I tolerate certain things, but I will not tolerate (the sale) of profane DVDs where children can see," Ramdass declared.
Ling, 21, of Vistabella, apologised for his actions.Ramdass, however, said: "Apologising will not change children seeing these profane DVDs."Ling, who was arrested by WPC Joaneal Coomansingh, was charged with wilfully obstructing the passageway, offering for sale marketable products without a licence from the San Fernando City Corporation, unlawfully pitching a stall to sell and offering a quantity of profane DVDs for sale.
The offences occurred at High Street, San Fernando, on January 11. Ling pleaded guilty to all charges.In his defence, Ling said he had a one-year-old child and was unemployed.The magistrate, however, said: "High Street is a place that is full of children and you stand there and tell me you have a one-year-old child and you sell profane DVDs on the street."The magistrate, in passing sentence on Ling, also issued a warning to him saying: "If you return before me with profane DVDs again, I will not fine you."
She told Ling the maximum sentence for the sale of profane material was five months' hard labour.Because it was his first offence, the magistrate imposed a fine.Ramdass ordered Ling to pay $100 or 30 days' simple imprisonment for obstruction, $300 or 30 days' simple imprisonment for selling without a licence, $100 or 30 days' simple imprisonment for pitching a stall and $1,000 or two months' hard labour for selling profane DVDs. He was given four weeks to pay.The magistrate ordered the DVDs seized.