conviction after a Supreme Court jury found him guilty of possessing nine ounces of cocaine with intent to supply.

The jury began its deliberations at 10.30 a.m. and came back in at 2:53 p.m.

for further directions on the legal definitions of possession and handling with intent to supply.

At 3.10 p.m. they left and returned at 3.41 p.m. and the forewoman said that they could not reach a verdict.

However she agreed to see if they could reach a verdict with more time and they reached a decision at 4.50 p.m. and returned two majority verdicts.

They found him guilty of possessing 250.3 grams of cocaine with intent to supply on June 5, 1996 and not guilty to the charge of handling the drug with intent to supply.

Burgess, 35, of Rockville Lane, Pembroke, was caught in the 2001 Cuts Boutique on Court Street with a plastic bag containing two packages of cocaine worth more than $70,000.

The cocaine was found to be 79 per cent pure and worth $75,772.

Burgess showed no emotion when the jury handed down its verdict but Mr.

Pettingill said: "We absolutely will be appealing this verdict.'' Burgess will be sentenced on Tuesday afternoon.

During the week-long trial, the jury heard that Burgess was found in the 2001 Cuts Boutique with the drugs inside a plastic bag.

At the time he acted nervously and was trying to go outside but the Police detectives blocked his path.

Meanwhile a second man Jamaican born Ernell Campbell, a former wine steward on the Dreamward , was found in the bathroom.

He is serving a five year sentence and testified that he bought the drugs to Bermuda after striking a deal with Burgess a week prior.

However, Burgess denied ever making such a deal and said that when Campbell came into the shop to use the bathroom was the first time he ever saw him.

He said Campbell came into the store and asked to use the bathroom. During that time Burgess said he went outside to place some dirt in the trash when he noticed several narcotics officers in the vicinity of the Spinning Wheel nightclub.

On his return to the store two of the officers came inside but left soon afterward.

Meanwhile Campbell, he said, had been in the bathroom for five to six minutes and he became suspicious.

And he said he asked Campbell if the Police were looking for him.

Burgess said he asked Campbell where the drugs were and Campbell said they were in a bag on a shelf.

However narcotics detectives came into the store and prevented Burgess from getting rid of the drugs and he was arrested.

Burgess was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on Tuesday afternoon before Chief Justice Austin Ward.