WESTERN BUREAU:

A Montego Bay promoter and a sound-system operator, who allegedly stole electricity to operate a street dance, were fined $5,000 each when they appeared before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Calvin Beckford, sound-system operator, and Dean Granville, promoter and chef, both pleaded guilty to abstracting electricity. Beckford also pleaded guilty to breaches of the Noise Abatement Act.

Raise funds

Granville told the court that the street dance was being held near the Barnett River in Irwin to raise funds for a youth club. Beckford added that they usually operated the sound by using a generator but said the unit was out of use.

Though commending the men for their efforts to raise funds for the youth, Resident Magistrate Winsome Henry told them that the law should to be upheld. Beckford was admonished and discharged for breaching the Noise Abatement Act.

Allegations are that the police went to a location where the men were hosting the street dance. Further checks revealed that the sound system was illegally connected to the Jamaica Public Service line to operate the sound.

Both men were subsequently arrested and charged.