A young father and student who imported $200,000 of drugs into Bermuda was yesterday imprisoned for six years.

Christopher Lewis pleaded for leniency, describing himself as shallow when he flew to the Island with eight pounds of cannabis inside a personal computer.

The 21 year old, who is married and has a young son, apologised to his friends, family and country as he was sentenced by Puisne Judge Norma Wade-Miller.

"At school I turned into a very different person, that is the only reason I am here in front of you today,'' he said.

"I do admit my mistake. I ask the court for a fair sentence and some leniency for my actions.'' Lewis, now known as Isaiah Abasi Ejiikene, of Stadium Lane, Warwick, was last week found guilty of importing and handling cannabis on March 7 last year.

He was arrested after arriving from the US, where he was a physical education student at Alabama's A&M University.

At the time, Lewis was on his way back from Atlanta to play football for PHC.

He was stopped when Customs Officers noticed irregularities in the x-rays of the computer monitor and central processing unit.

Inside they found 13 packages of cannabis. Lewis repeatedly refused to comment and claimed he had loaned the machine to a friend who had packaged it up before he left for Bermuda.

Yesterday, Puisne Judge Norma Wade-Miller sentenced Lewis to six years for each offence, to run concurrently.

Mrs. Justice Wade-Miller said: "It is clear from the evidence that you had an excellent career path, now this has been put on hold by your conduct.'' Defence lawyer Marc Telemaque said Lewis had a previously unblemished character.

He said it was a tragic case because of Lewis' wife and young son, and he would now have to pay for his actions.

"His actions may have sealed his fate but he is not a habitual offender. He is not a hopeless case.'' Earlier, teacher Calvin Simons testified at the spirit and dedication of Lewis as an athlete.

Mr. Simons, who has known the defendant for ten years, said the conviction was uncharacteristic and he had no idea how or why he had come to be involved in the offences.