“Grow your hair to stay out of jail,” prisoner told
Thursday, April 12, 2018 @ 12:40 PM
A PRISONER in Vigo has been told his sentence will be suspended – as long as he grows his hair.
Identified only by his initials of A. F. C., the accused was arrested for drug-dealing in the Galicia town and is said to be a repeat offender, but is in the process of rebuilding his life.
He faces three years in jail and a fine of €2,800, and his lawyer is fighting to avoid his having to serve his sentence.
Prosecutors have agreed to apply for it to be suspended as long as A. F. C. ensures his hair is never less than three centimetres (just under an inch and a half) long.
This curious condition has a very sound reason behind it: the accused cited as mitigating factors that he was a cocaine and heroin addict and that this has caused him irreparable psychological damage.
His solicitor says A. F. C. has 'fought hard' to break his habit and is still in detox treatment at a Vigo centre.
The dealer said he was 'going through a bad moment' and had stopped his treatment and given up the methadone he was prescribed, but insisted he intended to go back to rehab and on the medication.
One of the magistrates said: “It's not me you need to convince, nor should you be trying to lie to yourself.
“For your own good, it's best you don't play that game any more, because if you take drugs again you'll go straight to prison,” she concluded.
In order for his sentence to be suspended, the accused has to prove he has been off the drugs for a certain length of time.
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