A man convicted of smuggling cannabis and cocaine into Bermuda told the Supreme Court yesterday he was remorseful for squandering time with a trial.

In a sentencing hearing, Alexta Gill also apologised to Bermuda, Canada and his native Guyana, while accepting responsibility for his actions.

He added: “I want to give my Lord and saviour Jesus Christ thanks.”

Gill, a 31-year-old Guyanese who lived in Canada, was charged with importing $676,736 of cannabis and liquid cocaine into Bermuda on March 4, 2023 after flying to the island from Toronto.

While a 2024 trial ended abruptly after an outbreak of Covid-19, a second trial concluded In July with the jury finding Gill guilty of both charges by a unanimous verdict.

Khadija Beddeau, for the Crown, asked the court to consider the nature and seriousness of the offences.

She said: “The illicit drug trade is a real issue, a very serious issue which society grapples with.”

Since Bermuda is considered an international financial centre, she said there was a “pressing need” to protect the island’s status.

Ms Beddeau added that, given the amount of illicit drugs smuggled in, it was “clearly for wider distribution” and affected all sections of society.

She said the accused had “the characteristics of a drug mule” whose trip was solely to import drugs.

She noted Gill came with “the tools of the trade” and that a “high degree of planning” went into his visit.

“The offender is wholly to be blamed for his actions,” she said.

Citing the need for the community to be protected, she recommended Gill’s sentence “should have a deterrent effect” and be proportionate to the gravity of the offence and the degree of responsibility on the part of the accused.

She recommended a sentence of 12 to 14 years for count one, and eight to 12 years for count two, to run concurrently.

As aggravating circumstances, Ms Beddeau detailed the value of the drugs and “sophisticated” concealment of the cocaine, which the court heard was found in a bottle of whiskey.

Ms Beddeau suggested there were no mitigating circumstances, although she acknowledged that the accused was a father of three.

Nicole Smith, representing Gill, disagreed, noting that the accused had no prior criminal history.

“He sits here today as a man of good character,” she told the court.

She said her client’s remorse should be considered mitigating circumstances and pointed out that the drugs were found in a suitcase that “never made it past the airport”.

She said there was no evidence of who had packed the drugs.

She added: “Yes, the defendant agreed to be the drug mule but there were other persons involved.”

Puisne Judge Juan Wolffe said a social inquiry report in the matter, in which Gill expressed remorse, was “inconsistent” with his conduct during trial.

He said Gill told the court “boldface lies” and noted the “egregious” allegation in which the defendant claimed he had lied to police on the advice of a lawyer.

Mr Justice Wolffe deferred the matter to October 6 when the defendant is scheduled to return for sentencing.

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