A 19-year-old who aspired to be a lawyer wound up on the wrong side of the dock.

Jahmico Jahmal Roddy Roger Trott pleaded guilty to importing more than $280,000 of cannabis on March 7 this year.

Trott, of Fenton Drive, Pembroke, had a run in with the law as a juvenile in 2003 and was ordered to shadow Crown counsel Graveney Bannister for 100 hours. Coincidentally Mr. Bannister was the prosecutor in Magistrates’ Court.

The teenager sobbed while he tried to explain how he ended up in this situation: “I am totally aware of everything I have done and I know it was a stupid thing I did.

“I thought I could sell it one time and then I could finally get my life together. I have always wanted to own a clothes store.

“I have always been told I was a bright boy and a good talker and I have shadowed Mr. Bannister for 100 hours before. I thought I would be a lawyer. I don’t know how my life turned out this way.

“I wanted to be accepted by my peers and in this society money talks. I really wanted to get a fast track to life but I got caught. I am not the person I thought I would be I am just looked at now as a silly boy who got caught doing a stupid thing.

“My mother isn’t even here today because I have hurt her with my actions, but my nanna is and my aunt is too. I want to say I am so sorry. I always told them it wasn’t me when people said I was getting into trouble but now I can’t say that. I’ve let all these people down.”

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo told them young man: “You gambled and lost. Like so many young people you were looking to fast track things. It’s up to you now to turn your life around, and you can.”

Trott was found with seven packages of cannabis in his luggage when he returned from a trip to the US. In total he brought 5,637 grams of the drug into the Island.

Because of the amount of drugs he imported Mr. Tokunbo said incarceration was necessary and sentenced him to three years in prison and two years probation upon his release.

After court Mr. Bannister said Trott had shadowed him for some time and added that it was a shame things had turned out this way.