A 22-year-old Devonshire man, who pleaded guilty to importing $7,200 worth of heroin, will be sentenced today in Supreme Court.

But Patrick Winston Eugene Smith, of Cedar Park, told Crown Counsel Mr. Brian Calhoun that it was for his personal use.

"I wanted to use my last bit of money to get high,'' Smith said."I wanted to do it right.'' Det. Con. Kenville Savoury told the court that Smith was stopped by Customs officers upon his return from Atlanta on February 1.

He was asked if he was carrying any controlled substances or prescription drugs, Det. Con. Savoury said.

Smith said no but after he was strip searched revealed he had ingested a rubber balloon containing heroin. The balloon was removed and when analysed the contents were found to be 7.5 grams of 42 percent pure heroin.

But Smith insisted that it was for his personal use.

"I went to Atlanta to get high,'' he said. "I sold my Honda Civic and used the money I got from that to pay for the trip and buy the drugs.

"I paid $650 for the heroin. I bought it to Bermuda for my own use. That's all. I have never sold drugs in my life.'' But Mr. Calhoun said: "You expect this court to accept that an unemployed drug addict, with no savings, buys $650 worth of heroin that is worth $7,200 in Bermuda only for personal use?'' he asked.

"Where were you going to get money to live from if you were not going to sell these drugs?'' Smith fidgeted with a piece of white paper then stared straight at Calhoun.

"I never had any intention of selling the heroin,'' he said. "I was frightened so I lied. I had used heroin that day so I was high, real high. I feel very silly for what I have done. The hard part was facing my parents knowing I had done something like this.'' Smith said he became addicted to heroin three years ago.

"I initially used between $50-$70 worth of the drug a day, but my addiction increased gradually to between $100 and $350 daily.

"I checked myself into Addiction Services at the end of last year and they put me on methadone. I had the support of my mother and father, my two sisters, my brother and my step mother.

"I thought I was back in control at the end of the programme. I had a relapse and started using it (heroin) again.

"After my arrest I went back to Addiction Services and got a job as a painter. I stuck to the programme but I slipped back into it because of the pressure of coming to court knowing that I will probably be sent to prison.

"All I was worrying about was the drugs nothing else.'' Mr. Timothy Marshall, representing Smith, said his client had no previous convictions for importing or selling drugs.

But Mr. Calhoun, using a previous Court of Appeals ruling, suggested that whether the drugs were for personal use or otherwise was irrelevant.

"The facts are that he brought the drugs into the Island whether it is for personal use or not is up to the court,'' he said.

Smith will be sentenced today before Puisne Judge the Hon. Mrs. Justice Wade.