Supreme Court yesterday as he asked the judge not to send him to jail for the sake of his three children.

Lorance Sinclair Butterfield, 31, claimed he had been paid $3,900 to change about $60,000 (Bda) into US currency by local Rastafarian Kevin Stevens.

He "asked no questions'' and did not suspect the money had anything to do with drug trafficking. He gave it all to Stevens.

The court heard Butterfield, who admitted the offences and was unrepresented, obtained the money from local banks by stating on Bermuda Monetary Authority forms that he needed US cash for travel purposes.

He managed to get the maximum $3,000 travel allowance 39 times during a period extending from January 8, 1991 to May 13, 1992.

Crown counsel Miss Sharon Kenny said he was caught out when the BMA discovered he had not gone abroad during the periods he stated on his forms and had failed to surrender the money.

Puisne Judge the Hon. Mr. Justice Ward told Butterfield he had "deprived'' Government of $6,000 in revenue by escaping the 10 percent foreign currency purchase tax. The tax must be paid if cash obtained is not for travel purposes or to be given as a gift.

Mr. Justice Ward said he was entitled to fine him three times that amount -- $18,000.

But noting Butterfield was a "poor man'' with three youngsters to support, he said he would clearly be unable to pay such a fine.

However, a jail term would not help him, he said, nor would it send a message to others thinking of committing similar offences.

After a brief pause, Mr. Justice Ward handed down a five-month jail term suspended for one year -- and ordered Butterfield to spend 28 days in custody.

He pointed out though, since Butterfield had already spent 28 days in Casemates while awaiting trial he would not have to serve any time at all.