PRESIDENT-NOMINEE Anthony Carmona ended his judicial career at the San Fernando Supreme Court at 4.10 p.m. yesterday, after dealing with his final nine criminal cases.

Carmona, who took a break during the day to attend a courtroom farewell function in his honour, sent three men to prison, while several others were allowed to go home, on bonds and fines.

He steered clear of his nomination for most of the day, saying: "I am just a nominee. I also have a substantive post in The Hague. I am a sworn judge there."

In the case of confessed arsonist Kerry Gour, who has been in prison for the past seven years awaiting trial, Carmona placed him on a three-year $5,000 bond to keep the peace.

Gour set fire to his brother's house in La Brea in February 2005.

Carmona ordered that he undergo psychiatric evaluation and be placed in the care of a relative.

In the case of 80-year-old Carlton Cummings, who pleaded guilty to chopping a man and pelting the man's wife in May 2003, Carmona also placed the man on a $5,000 bond to keep the peace for three years.

"You are a man of 80 years and you have brought disrepute to good old age. You ought to be a guiding light. You contributed to the darkness called crime. Incarceration may very well lead to your untimely demise," said Carmona.

Cummings, who wept after the sentence was passed, said: "Thank you."

Carmona also dealt with the matter of Dexter Alexander, who last year pleaded guilty to bigamy and was ordered to pay $10,000 to his second wife.

Alexander did not pay the money and yesterday Carmona ordered that he be given until Ash Wednesday to pay up or a warrant would be issued.

A similar order was made in the matter of Nazrudeen Khan, who failed to pay compensation after pleading guilty to car theft.

Jerome Barker, a United States deportee who pleaded guilty to arms and ammunition possession, was also spared prison time.

Barker, who was once charged with a murder and who is now a security guard, was fined $20,000.

Carmona told Barker he could have been jailed for nine years if found guilty at trial.

"A bond would be trivialising the seriousness of the offence," he said.

Carmona noted that the murder charge against Barker was discontinued by the Director of Public Prosecutions because the evidence was flawed.

In the cases of Michael McSween and Luke Gloudon, who were sent to St Anns by the Court for killing relatives, Carmona had to review the sentences.

He sentenced McSween to 20 years in prison, for killing his mother and sister, and wounding two other sisters in 2003. McSween will be eligible for release in ten years.

In the matter of Gloudon, Carmona sentenced him to 16 years in prison, for killing his father in 2002.

In the case of Joel Brown, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, Carmona sentenced him to eight months in prison.

In March 2003, Brown pushed Victor Kennedy during a card game at a recreation club in Princes Town, after Kennedy refused to take a dirty shoe off a bench. Kennedy died at hospital.

In passing sentence, Carmona said: "This is a feature of our society for a very long time. People are being killed for simple things...resting a drink on a car, mashing a man's foot during Jouvert."

He told Brown: "I regret I have to send you to jail. It pains me to see I am taking you away from your family. But by your act, you took away a man's life."

Carmona then rose and left the San Fernando Second Criminal Court.