An Italian fugitive who escaped from Bermuda 17 years ago was finally jailed for eight years yesterday for smuggling cocaine.

Cruise ship steward Giuseppe Roncari dodged prison guards while getting treatment at a Somerset dentist in June 1981.

He fled to the US to rebuild his life working in New York restaurants -- then moved to Florida where he even worked for Police Association charities.

But the 42-year-old was extradited from the US after being picked up by Police following a 17-year search.

He was finally convicted at a Supreme Court hearing yesterday, after pleading guilty to possessing $31,750 worth of cocaine intended for supply.

Roncari was found with the cocaine -- 21 percent pure -- during a search at Bermuda's Airport in March 1981. The drugs were found taped to Roncari's groin.

But his lawyer Mark Pettingill pleaded with Puisne Judge Norma Wade Miller to consider Roncari's new "exceptional'' lifestyle before passing sentence.

Instead, the judge sided with Crown counsel Brian Calhoun, who argued Roncari had to be sentenced according to 1981 law.

Mr. Calhoun insisted Roncari's life after 1981 could not be taken into account -- because it would encourage other prisoners to dodge Police "then hope to get credit for it''.

Mrs. Wade Miller said she could not let Roncari's escape affect her sentence because he was not charged with running from the law.

But she added his new life as a "model citizen'' also had to be ignored, "because that would simply give encouragement to others to avoid appearing''.

"I take into account your expressions of remorse,'' the judge told Roncari.

"But the sentence of this court is one of eight years.'' Roncari, wearing orange regulation prison uniform, stood head bowed as his sentence was doled out.

Moments earlier, he told Mrs. Wade Miller he had only escaped because he felt "scared''.

"There are not many things to say about it, besides saying sorry to everyone,'' he said in broken English.

"Sorry's the word that everyone understands. I have tried to stay out of trouble.

"Whatever sentence you give to me, I will carry on. I will try to do my best.

I will try not to raise my voice to anyone.'' Mr. Pettingill had earlier described his client as a "patsy'' and a "mule'', duped by big time drug dealers to smuggle the cocaine.

But Mr. Calhoun said: "Here, Mr. Roncari did the buying and did the selling, or was about to. That was his plan.

"He was not a mule, or merely a mule or a patsy.'' Fugitive jailed The court heard Roncari bought the drugs, weighing over 25 grams, in New York for $2,000. He told Police he planned to sell them for $3,300.

But Mrs. Wade Miller was told the cocaine, with a 1998 street value of just $2,000, could have fetched more than $30,000 if sold in 20 percent pure "decks'' -- or $25 portions of 20 milligrams of cocaine -- in 1981.

It would have fetched up to $60,000 if sold as ten percent pure, the court heard.

Mr. Calhoun said Roncari told Police the cocaine would be sold to a Bermuda resident called "Desi'', whom he had already supplied six or seven times while working on cruise ships.

The sentencing was delayed a week after Chief Justice Austin Ward said he could not preside over the hearing.

Mr. Ward declared a conflict of interest, revealing he signed Roncari's original indictment in his role as Solicitor General.