Jahmel Blakeney, son of Government MP Glenn Blakeney, was sentenced to 12 months behind bars after being found guilty last month of possessing more than $5,000 worth of cannabis with intent to supply.

Before sentencing the 26-year-old yesterday, Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner said: "I must consider all the circumstances in sentencing the defendant. He is not entitled to a discount because of his not guilty plea. There is a difference between hard drugs and soft drugs. There is no doubt that cannabis is considered a soft drug."

Blakeney was arrested during a Police raid at his home in Stovell Bay Road, Spanish Point, on January 18. Officers were armed with warrants issued under both the Misuse of Drugs Act and firearms legislation.

Detective Constable Shannon Swan said during the trial: "We had information that another subject was at the residence, possibly in possession of a firearm."

Another man, aged 22, was arrested during the raid along with Blakeney, but later released by the Police.

During their search, officers found a total of 112.57 grams of cannabis with an estimated street value of up to $5,625. It was found in two Ziploc bags.

One was found hidden inside a microphone case at a recording studio at the residence. It was heat-sealed and contained 111.13 grams of the drug divided into four smaller bags. The rest of the cannabis — 1.44 grams — was found on top of a dresser.

The defendant pleaded guilty to possessing the smaller amount. While he accepted that the larger amount of cannabis also belonged to him, he pleaded not guilty to possessing it with intent to supply as he insisted it was for his own personal use.

Blakeney's lawyer, Mark Pettingill, said at his client's home there didn't appear to be an advanced operation with drug trafficking and there was no evidence of a commercial enterprise.

He said his client expressed remorse for the embarrassment and pain he has caused his parents and family.

"He is a young man of talent. He is a sound engineer and is able to be employed in that profession. This is a young man who has never been incarcerated. He's 26, he's not a criminal."

Mr. Pettingill continued: "He has all the attributes in a young black Bermudian male you want to have at 26."

Senior Crown counsel Carrington Mahoney argued Blakeney should receive an immediate custodial sentence of 18 months unless there were exceptional circumstances which he did not find.

The maximum sentence for the offence is 10 years.

In addition to the one-year prison sentence, Blakeney was also given an $800 fine for simple possession of cannabis.