Drug dealers William and Barbara Roberts have each been sentenced to 12 years in prison after being found guilty of possessing $1.5 million of cocaine with intent to supply.

Passing sentence in Supreme Court Three on Monday, Puisne Judge Norma Wade-Miller said there was an element of tragedy to the whole affair.

But she also said the offence -- which resulted in the biggest seizure of drugs from a residential home in Bermuda's history -- warranted a substantial prison term.

The elderly couple, who have been in custody since November 3 after being found guilty by a majority verdict, arrived at the Supreme Court in a prison van. Barbara Roberts, 60, wearing a blue patterned dress, looked tired and nervous as she stood in the dock. Her husband William, 72, was dressed in bright orange prison fatigues. He sat emotionless throughout the court appearance.

Before sentence was passed, Crown counsel Mr. Brian Calhoun urged the judge not to be sympathetic to the couple.

"There are people out there on the streets of Bermuda dying from drug addiction,'' he said. "Families are being destroyed. Because of the devastation that drugs have caused in this Country, this court must steel itself.

"As you are aware, the range of sentence in this case extends to life imprisonment. I am not suggesting that that should be the case here but that's the maximum sentence. There are mitigating factors in this case but at the end of the day, the scales of justice are balanced.'' Mr. Calhoun highlighted four recent trials in which convicted drug pushers had received stiff jail sentences for possessing drugs.

But lawyer Richard Hector, representing William Roberts, argued that the case was one of the most unusual the courts had had to deal with, and that the judge should bear that in mind when considering sentence.

He also reminded the judge that Roberts had been wounded on active service in the Second World War, had six grandchildren and had never been in trouble with the law before.

"This is a case where my client did not go looking for trouble -- trouble came to him,'' he said. "The possession of this drug was not the result of some plan, it was washed up on the beach.

"I am not condoning what they did. They were unbelievably stupid, but what I am trying to do is put it in a proper perspective.'' Lawyer Mark Pettingill, representing Barbara Roberts, also stressed that the two figures in the dock were not seasoned gangsters.

"There is no evidence that these people were in the cocaine business,'' he said. "My client didn't have a clue what this substance was and it came out in the trial that Police officers were rather keen to speak to other individuals.'' After all three barristers had made their submissions to the judge, the Roberts' were asked if they had anything to say to the court.

Barbara Roberts said: "I would like to apologise to my family for the trouble I have caused them. I love them desperately.'' And William Roberts also expressed remorse, saying: "I would like to sincerely apologise to my family and the people of Bermuda for what I have done.'' Passing sentence, Mrs. Justice Wade-Miller said: "I have taken into account the various matters put forward by Mr. Hector and Mr. Pettingill -- your ages and previous good character and, in your case Mr. Roberts, your health.

"I have also given you some credit for your guilty plea of simple possession.

"I accept that this case has an element of tragedy because of your mature years. However, without each person playing a role in the chain of distribution trafficking would not exist.

"The Court of Appeal says that in any case of possession with intent to supply it's impossible to deal with the matter without a substantial custodial sentence.'' As sentence was read out both Roberts' failed to show any sign of emotion. Two of their children sitting in the public gallery also remained blank faced.

After being sentenced, the pair were taken in separate vehicles to the Westgate Correctional Facility and Co-ed Facility.

Giving his reaction to the sentence, Mr. Hector said: "This was a very difficult case and a very unusual one.

"But I think the sentence was manifestly harsh and excessive. I will be taking instructions from my client but I think there will be grounds for an appeal.''