The man, who was sentenced last month to 12 months' imprisonment for unlawful possession of several pounds of used and unused nails, had his bail application put off last Tuesday.

Attorney-at-law Melrose Reid had filed affidavits outlining the reasons he should be granted bail pending his appeal.

However, Court of Appeal Judge Hazel Harris said she could not hear the application before the notes of evidence were ready.

Some residents in Hanover expressed disapproval last month when 26-year-old Wayne Malcolm was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment at hard labour.

Harsh sentence

They complained that the sentence was too harsh because people who committed far more serious crimes were fined. The residents also complained that Malcolm had no previous conviction.

Malcolm, a labourer of Baulk, near Canaan, Hanover, was unrepresented at his trial. He is appealing against his conviction and sentence. He is contending that the sentence is manifestly excessive.

Resident Magistrate Wilson Smith sentenced Malcolm on May 28 after he found him guilty of the charge.

Detective Sergeant Harry Morrant testified at the trial in the Lucea Resident Magistrate's Court that, on April 27, he searched Malcolm's one-bedroom board house in Baulk and found a bucket with nails.

Malcolm said in his defence that he picked up the nails over a period of time while working on construction sites. He said some of the nails were given to him.