A man who claimed he found packages of cannabis valued at more than $66,000 washed up on a Tuckers Town beach was sentenced in the Supreme Court yesterday to five years in prison.

Terry Edwin Robinson, of Tribe Road Number 5 in Paget, pleaded guilty to possession of 1,329.07 grams of cannabis with intent to supply before the courts in June this year.

Yesterday, defence lawyer Larry Scott made an application for a Newton Hearing, telling the court that Robinson had admitted he regularly used drugs, but did not intend to supply the cannabis found in his possession. Newton hearings are special sessions called because a defendant admits the crime but disputes the facts of the case laid against him by prosecutors.

Mr. Scott told Assistant Justice Carlisle Greaves that his client was a hard-working man and not a zombie who sat on walls. ?That may be the view of people doing drugs but not this man here,? said Mr. Scott. ?He has pleaded guilty and has committed to having this matter dealt with. Other than that he is a man of impeccable character who works hard and pays his taxes, but has a little smoke now and then.?

The cannabis found in Robinson?s home two years ago had a street value of $66,450 if sold in 0.5 gram bags and $28,200 if sold by the ounce. Police reported finding the cannabis at Robinson?s residence on August 14, 2002 in various locations, namely on top of a microwave oven, in a duffel bag made into twists and on a straw bag on the living room couch.

Police also found an envelope with the name of Terry Robinson written on it, and $23,000 in cash. Mr. Scott told Assistant Justice Carlisle Greaves that there were no bags or scales found in Robinson?s home or that there was no evidence ?hoards? of people came to his residence to pick up drugs.

?You would have me conclude that he had $28,000 worth of drugs for his personal use?? questioned Mr. Greaves.

Robinson, who has a history of drug related offences dating back to the 1960s, told the court that he found the drugs early in August 2002 on a private beach in Tuckers Town in three separate grey wrapped packages close to the waterline.

Robinson, who runs a construction and maintenance firm, said he saw the packages from the property he was painting which was adjacent to the beach. He told Assistant Justice Carlisle Greaves that he went to investigate since ?controlled? drugs had been found on a beach by residents two months earlier.

Crown Counsel Shade Subair questioned Robinson about his reasons for stopping work that morning to go and look on the beach, saying: ?I am suggesting to you sir that everything you have said to this court is a made up story??

?I disagree fully,? said Robinson. ?I said I went to look because residents in the area had found something earlier and turned it over to Police.?

Robinson told Mr. Justice Greaves that he smoked cannabis regularly, and usually consumed about half an ounce a day. After hearing the evidence, Mr. Greaves said he was not satisfied that the amount of drugs were for personal use only.

Robinson, who has been in custody for three weeks, was sentenced to spend four years in jail for possession with the intent to supply, and an additional year for possessing a saw, which he used to cut the cannabis.