A man accused of gun and drug charges pleaded guilty in the final stages of a lengthy trial then cleared the names of his two co-defendants.

Kershun Dublin had denied conspiring to bring four handguns and $25,000-worth of cannabis to Bermuda throughout his three-week trial.

However, he pleaded guilty to the plot yesterday morning after a dramatic change of heart mid-way through the case for the defence.

The 25-year-old then got on the witness stand to tell the Supreme Court jury that his friends and co-accused, Arthur Vanlowe-Dill, 45, and Justin Calderon, 25, had nothing to do with the crime.

The pair were subsequently found not guilty by the jury on the direction of the judge, and walked free from court. Dublin was remanded into custody, and faces a lengthy prison sentence.

Asked by this newspaper why Dublin decided to change his pleas so late in the day, his defence lawyer Charles Richardson replied "Let's just say he thought it was the honourable thing to do."

Mr. Vanlowe-Dill said as he left court that he bore no ill-will towards Dublin, who he knows from their Pembroke neighbourhood.

"I'm just glad that he came to terms with himself to say that he was guilty and me and Mr. Calderon was never part of it," he remarked.

Mr. Vanlowe-Dill, who has learning difficulties and has been living on the streets for the past 15 years, had been in custody since his arrest on May 8 2008. He described the experience as "crazy" but said he now hopes to turn his life around.

"I'm going to try to get a full-time job. I have nowhere to live but I'm sure somebody will help me," he explained.

His lawyer, Shade Subair, added "It's a very justifiable result for Mr. Dill. I think the evidence pointed towards an acquittal in any event, and I'm very happy with the result."

Mr. Calderon, who is also from Pembroke and has been on bail throughout the case, appeared to be lost for words as he exited court. Faced with questions from the media over how he felt and whether he and Dublin are still friends <\!m> he replied with a silent thumbs-up.

His lawyer, Elizabeth Christopher, said "I think the proceedings have vindicated him. It's not been an easy experience for his family to have this hanging over his head for the last 15 months."

The court case revolved around an orange metal toolbox that was purchased and mailed to Bermuda from Florida by an unidentified person or persons in April 2008. A Customs sniffer dog alerted to the parcel when it arrived in a DHL courier box at the airport on April 28.

Narcotics officers removed the four handguns and the cannabis, along with 164 bullets that had been welded inside the legs of the box. They then put it back in circulation and monitored its pick-up from DHL ten days later.

In evidence during the trial, Mr. Vanlowe-Dill explained that he used to do hustles for Dublin in their Pembroke neighbourhood, such as washing cars and bikes. He said Dublin had offered him $20 to go and pick up the parcel from DHL, and he agreed because he was unemployed and homeless.

Dublin, however, had denied enlisting Mr. Vanlowe-Dill to pick up the parcel. In his evidence, he claimed he had nothing to do with it until he spotted Mr. Vanlowe-Dill with the box on the street, and offered to transport it for him in a friend's car.

Meanwhile, Mr. Calderon said he saw Dublin arrive in his Pembroke neighbourhood, and helped transport the box from a car to a shed at his own home for safekeeping.

All three men were charged with plotting together, and with others not before the court, to bring the guns and drugs to Bermuda. However, each denied any knowledge that there was anything illegal in the box. Mr. Vanlowe-Dill began to give evidence in his own defence on Tuesday, but this was interrupted by Dublin's dramatic change of plea yesterday morning when he admitted plotting to possess the firearms and import the drugs.

After admitting the charges, Dublin got on the witness stand to tell the jury that Mr. Dill and Mr. Calderon had no knowledge of or involvement in the crime. However, he did not speak of the true nature of his own involvement. With all lawyers in the case agreed, the jury then cleared Mr. Dill and Mr. Calderon's names. Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves told them they were free to go, and then remanded Dublin into custody. A date for his sentencing is due to be set at the Supreme Court arraignments session on October 1. The maximum penalty for importing cannabis is life imprisonment, while possession of a firearm attracts a sentence in the range of five to 15 years.

Thanking the jurors for their work and their patience during the case, Mr. Justice Greaves exempted them from serving again for the next five years.

However, he went on to invoke the wrath of Calderon's other defence lawyer, John Perry QC, over his remarks to the young man who had just been cleared. The judge told Mr. Calderon "I think you should see this as a 'good luck day'."

He went on to comment "It seems the Gods have been in your corner this morning and Mr. Dublin as much as he has done in the past, involving all of you in it must be a very good friend indeed. Go away and live in peace."

However, Mr. Perry took exception to the tone of the judge's remarks, exclaiming: "Nothing should be said by the bench (ie the judge) that casts any suggestion that this young man is not innocent. I deprecate My Lord's words. He's been found innocent."

However, the judge stuck to his point that Calderon had been "fortunate" and went on to make similar remarks to Mr. Dill, telling him "I can only advise you to be more careful in future you have to be careful who you do your chores for. It is very easy to get into trouble and it's very difficult to get out of it."