A Venezuelan man whose plane diverted to Bermuda in February after he claimed he had swallowed drugs left the Supreme Court on Friday a free man, after a judge ruled Bermuda had no jurisdiction in the case.

On February 6, Alfredo Antonio Deigago-Rios, 40, fell ill during the trans-Atlantic crossing and told the air crew of an unspecified international flight he had swallowed 12 pellets of drugs.

Crown counsel Graveney Bannister read to the court that Rios, who lives in Berlin, Germany, was on his way to Amsterdam from Venezuela.

While in the air, Rios began feeling sick and told the stewardess that he had swallowed some drugs and he thought one of them may have burst. The Amsterdam flight was diverted to Bermuda where Rios was escorted to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital by Police. He remained there overnight until he passed the pellets.

The pellets were later analysed and found to be 118.6 grams of cocaine, Rios was found guilty after giving his submissions and remained in custody until he was sentenced.

In court for sentencing on Friday Rios said in broken English: "I'm sorry for all the inconvenience and problems I've given, I did not intend to come to this country."

Assistant Justice Archibald Warner however pointed out the case was not in Bermuda's jurisdiction: "If I never intended to possess it (the drugs) in Bermuda and you bring me to Bermuda, what am I to do? " Mr. Warner questioned.

"How is he intending on possessing in Bermuda when he never even knew where Bermuda was? " he said.

Defence lawyer, Victoria Pearman said earlier that her client did not know where Bermuda was, or that it even existed before the plane was diverted.

Mr. Warner sentenced Rios to four months imprisonment but his custody was taken into consideration and Rios left the court a free man. It also was revealed that Rios' illness was a result of food poisoning.