St Catherine rider fined $158,000 for traffic breaches and bribery attempt

Motorcyclist Gilzene Steele left the St Catherine Parish Court facing $158,000 in penalties after admitting multiple traffic violations and an attempt to bribe a policeman.

Steele pleaded guilty on Wednesday to operating a motorcycle without a helmet, having no driver's licence, using an uninsured vehicle and attempted bribery.

Senior Parish Court Judge Desiree Alleyne imposed a $30,000 fine, with 10 days in prison as the alternative, for driving without a licence. The uninsured-vehicle offence attracted a $20,000 penalty or 14 days behind bars, while failure to wear a helmet resulted in an $8,000 fine or three days' imprisonment.

A further $100,000 was imposed for attempted bribery. Steele has until July 24, 2026, to settle the fines.

During the proceedings, Steele said he had thought his learner's licence permitted him to ride the motorcycle legally. Judge Alleyne advised him that it did not.

He also acknowledged mentioning money to an officer while another policeman prepared the traffic ticket.

"Your Honour, one police was writing up the ticket, so mi tell di next one dat mi have $3,000, and dem arrest mi fi it," Steele told the court.

The prosecution said personnel from the Green Acres Police Station were conducting patrol duties when they saw Steele riding without a helmet and stopped him.

Subsequent checks showed that he had no valid driver's licence. As a result, the motorcycle was also deemed uninsured.

Prosecutors said Steele produced $3,000 while the officers were processing the tickets and tried to give the money to one of them. Police arrested him immediately, and charges were subsequently laid.

Steele had no attorney when he appeared in court.