MONTEGO BAY, St James

A 37-year-old mother of nine, who admitted to trying to smuggle a half-pound of ganja in her underwear, was spared a prison sentence on Tuesday.

Suzette Beadle of Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth - who was arrested at the Sangster International Airport on August 5 prior to boarding a flight to Curacao - told Resident Magistrate Winsome Henry that "things got hard" as she could not fend for herself and the nine children, most of whom lived with family members.

The eldest of the children is 19, and the youngest is two years old.

A younger sister, who was taking care of three of the children, told the judge she was "pretty surprised" when she heard her sister was arrested.

Beadle was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months and fined a total of $1,800.

She was fined $800 or 30 days for possession of ganja and also received a six-month sentence, suspended for 18 months on the charge of taking steps to export ganja, both of which will run concurrently.

RM Henry admonished and discharged her on the count of dealing in ganja.

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