Stressed out by his loan payments and by his efforts to assist his pregnant, newly-wed daughter start her home, William Gunness fell into his old habit of using cocaine.
Yesterday, Gunness was ordered to pay $2,000 or serve six months hard labour in jail by San Fernando Magistrate Brambhanan Dubay.
Gunness, 59, of Pluck Road, San Francique was charged with possession of .7 grammes of cocaine. He was arrested on Boxing Day.
In court yesterday, Gunness was represented by attorney Analee Girwar.
Girwar told the court that Gunness worked as a truck driver but lately work had been hard to come by.
She said he was also trying to assist his daughter in building her new home before her baby was born.
The Christmas season, Girwar said, had met Gunness at an all time low and he succumbed to his old addictions.
In mitigation, Girwar pleaded with the court to give Gunness a non-custodial sentence, asking Dubay to send him to Narcotics Anonymous instead.
She said his family had indicated a willingness to assist Gunness in overcoming his addiction and Gunness himself also wanted to get clean.
However, after looking at his criminal record, which showed two previous convictions for marijuana and cocaine, Dubay denied the request.
He fined Gunness $2,000 or ordered him to serve six months hard labour.
Gunness was given 14 days within which to pay the fine.