A Pembroke man who was caught nearly a year's supply of heroin in his bedroom closet was sentenced to five years in prison, yesterday.

Albert Eugene Alexander Allen, 38, was found guilty in Supreme Court by a five-man, seven-woman jury on charges of possession of heroin with intent to supply and possession of drug scales.

Puisne Judge Ian Kawaley sentenced Allen to five years in prison on the heroin charge ? with the one year that he had been held in remand to be taken into account.

Police found 38.7 grams of the drug under a pile of jeans in Allen's bedroom closet during a raid in December 2002, the court heard. The drugs had a street value of $49,000.

Allen was also sentenced yesterday to 12 months for possession of the drug scales to run concurrently with the first sentence.

Mr. Justice Kawaley told Allen: "You have to ask yourself, do you really want to turn your life around?"

Allen told the court that he was sorry.

"I never had any intention of selling it (the heroin)," he said. "It was for my personal use."

But a Police expert witness testified during the trial the amount found would have lasted a single user about nine months.

Mr. Justice Kawaley said that would be like a heavy drinker keeping 20 cases of rum at home.

In addition to the drugs and scales, Police found a loaded, semi-automatic handgun in a shed outside Allen's Parsons Road residence during the raid.

Mr. Justice Kawaley however ruled on Monday there was "no case to answer" on the firearm charge.

No fingerprints were found on the gun and Mr. Justice Kawaley said other people lived in the same residence as Allen who could have had access to the shed, where the gun was found.

Allen had also pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis but was given an absolute discharge on that count due to the minuscule amount found at his home.

The raid on Allen's home occurred two days after the unsolved shooting of a Jamaican man on Middle Terrace, Pembroke.

Yesterday, Mr. Justice Kawaley said it was clear that drug addiction had a major impact on Allen's life, basing his assessment on Allen's numerous drug convictions.

But, he said, the community requires serious punishment for serious crimes.

Mr. Justice Kawaley said heroin is the "most dangerous" drug, making Allen's offence the "most serious drug offence".

"Too many men that look like you are being sentenced to imprisonment," Mr. Justice Kawaley said. "Imposing custodial sentences, in a perfect world, is not always appropriate... But it makes no sense for society to try and raise you up, if you do not want to raise yourself up."