false bottle of a piece of luggage will spend the next three years in prison.

George Mouchette, 40, of Rushy Lane, last month pleaded guilty to importing over a pound-and-a-half of cannabis on April 14.

Crown Counsel Charlene Scott yesterday said a Customs officer noticed a false bottom in Mouchette's grey duffel bag. He had just returned to Bermuda on a charter flight from Jamaica.

Police and Custom officers opened the bottom of the bag and discovered 694 grams of cannabis in two packages.

Ms Scott said the street value of the drugs, if sold in pay-type envelopes, was $34,700.

Mouchette said a Bermudian and a Jamaican man asked him to "carry a message herb back to Bermuda for them''.

He said the men visited his hotel a couple of days later, gave him the luggage and left. He said the men told him someone would contact him when he returned to Bermuda.

Ms Scott said Mouchette told Police that he had presumed that cannabis was in the bottom of the bag.

And she suggested that Chief Justice Austin Ward impose a three year prison sentence for Mouchette who had previous drug convictions dating back to 1980.

But Mouchette's lawyer Elizabeth Christopher maintained that most of the previous convictions were for possession of small quantities of drugs.

She also asked Mr. Justice Ward to take into account her client's guilty plea and his cooperation with Police.

Despite Mouchette's apologies, Mr. Justice Ward ordered him to spend three years in prison.

GUILTY PLEA MADE IN FRAUD CASE CTS Guilty plea made in fraud case A former Mermaid Beach Club employee yesterday pleaded guilty to charging items to one of the club's accounts without valid authorisation.

Roddelle Lightbourne, 27, of Middle Road, Paget, admitted in Magistrates' Court that he defrauded a total of $93.84 from the Warwick Shell Gas station on two different occasions.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Phil Taylor said Lightbourne charged $59.29 worth of goods from the station onto the Mermaid account on March 10.

Then on March 13 he purchased gas priced at $34.55 and again charged it to Mermaid's account.

Lightbourne was subsequently arrested after a cashier became suspicious of his actions and notified Police.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis said: "I don't see why an employed man would steal from his business and risk his job.'' But Lightbourne replied: "I felt cheated. I got into a bike accident and dislocated my shoulder and then I was fired when I couldn't make work the next day. I felt bitter.'' Mr. Francis ordered a social inquiry report on Lightbourne which is expected to be ready when he returns to court for sentencing on November 10.

MAN GETS A SUSPENDED SENTENCE CTS Man gets a suspended sentence A 34-year-old Hamilton Parish man received a suspended sentence and fine yesterday after pleading guilty, last month, to entering a woman's house and committing an indecent act.

Christopher Hollis, of Harlem Heights Road, was charged with entering a woman's home without permission on July 15 and wilfully committing an indecent act with the intention of insulting or offending her.

After Hollis pleaded guilty on August 18 in Magistrates' Court his case was adjourned and Senior Magistrate Will Francis ordered a social inquiry report before sentencing him.

The court heard that the woman had just taken a bath and walked from her bathroom to her living room with a towel wrapped around her.

She was returning to the bathroom when Hollis appeared in hallway masturbating.

The women screamed and Hollis ran from the house. He was later arrested at his residence where he lived with his mother.

But Hollis told Police he had been scratching himself, not masturbating.

Hollis told the court that he had gone to the house that day to see if the woman wanted her car washed.

He said she walked out just as he was scratching himself and stressed that he was not doing what she had claimed.

Hollis said he pleaded guilty to the offence because he could not afford to go to trial and fight the charge as he had a four-month-old child to look after.

Before sentencing Hollis yesterday, Mr. Francis told him: "Your case has given me a headache''.

He then fined him $500 for entering the woman's home without permission and handed down a three-month prison sentence suspended for two years.

PROBLEMS BLAMED ON `ALCOHOL' CTS Problems blamed on `alcohol' A Bermudian college student who kicked open three Hamilton Police Station security doors then bolted to freedom, this week blamed his actions on alcohol.

Dandre Leach, 27, of Third Avenue, Devonshire, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to escaping Police custody, unlawful damage, and using offensive words.

Police Prosecutor Sgt. Phil Taylor said Leach was seen by Police arguing with a woman in front of Hamilton Police Station on Reid Street at 12.30 a.m. on August 9.

The woman requested Leach leave her alone, however, he proceeded to shout at her causing an officer requested he lower his voice and leave the woman alone.

Leach declined and started swearing. He was then arrested and charged with using offensive words.

While in custody at Hamilton Police Station Leach kicked open a holding cell door, then a security door and finally a third main door at which time he bolted to freedom.

Shortly after 3 a.m. on the same morning Leach was spotted in front of Odyssey Nightclub on front Street where he was re-arrested and taken back to Hamilton Police Station where he was further charged with escaping Police Custody and unlawful Damage.

In court a calmer Leach told Senior Magistrate Will Francis he was a student abroad and he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident and he said he planned to pay back the $3,020 worth of damage he did to the doors of the station.

An amazed Mr. Francis asked Leach, "Do you practice karate or something? You did some damage to those door with your feet.'' Sgt. Taylor said Leach's conduct in court was not what he expected after reading the facts of the case, leading him to believe his actions were out of character.

Mr. Francis agreed and took Leach at his word that he would pay Police for the door.

He ordered Leach to return to court on October 31 to see if restitution had been made.

He released him on $500 bail with like surety until that date.