Former professional boxer Howard “Battersea Bomber” Eastman has been sentenced to 48 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to a drug-related offence before the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
The 55-year-old former boxing champion appeared before Magistrate Michelle Matthias, where he admitted to being in possession of 265 grams of marijuana.
Eastman was arrested by police on Pitt Street, New Amsterdam, last Friday after officers reportedly discovered the prohibited substance in his possession. Two other individuals believed to be connected to the matter were subsequently apprehended by law enforcement officers.
The trio was charged with possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking, contrary to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act.
During court proceedings, Eastman’s personal information revealed that he is currently unemployed and does not have a fixed place of residence.
In handing down her ruling, Magistrate Matthias ordered that Eastman serve four years in prison and also pay a fine equivalent to three times the market value of the 265 grams of cannabis seized.
The magistrate noted that Eastman is not a first-time offender, highlighting that he had previously appeared before the court on a similar drug-related matter. Taking his prior conviction into consideration, the court imposed the 48-month custodial sentence.
Eastman, once a prominent figure in the boxing world and widely known by his ring name “The Battersea Bomber,” now faces a lengthy prison term following the conviction.
Police investigations into the matter have since been completed.
