An admitted drug dealer was sentenced to five years in prison for possessing heroin with intent to supply and three concurrent years for possessing an electronic scale as drug equipment.

Melvin Bernard Stevens, 56, of Pembroke was also ordered by Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves to pay a portion of $35,926.46 within six years, or spend an additional three years in prison.

The sentence was meted out in Supreme Court on Friday.

Stevens was stopped and searched by Police on September 10, 2003. They found 81 plastic twists of heroin ? 9.76 grams of the drug with a street value of $36,420 ? in his pockets.

He was arrested and during a search of his boat, Police found an electronic scale and plastic bags.

These were sent to the Government Analyst who tested the scale positive for heroin and cocaine.

During a search of Stevens' locker at work, Police also discovered $4,000 cash in various denominations as well as some jewellery.

In November 2004, a writ was filed in Supreme Court regarding Stevens in the matter of the Proceeds of Crime Act 1997.

The Crown stated that Stevens benefited by $137,457.30 in a period of some six years for drug trafficking.

In a short discussion between Stevens' lawyer Elizabeth Christopher and Crown counsel Paula Tyndale in court on Friday, it was agreed that only $35,926.46 would be confiscated ? a large portion of this is already in Police custody.

Ms Christopher told the court that Stevens had enrolled in a drug rehabilitation programme since last summer when he was robbed at knife point and seriously injured.

She said he only sold drugs on the side to support his own drug habit.

A question arose in court concerning $25,000 which Stevens had "given" to his niece.

The Crown wanted this money to be included in the confiscation order, but Ms Christopher argued that the money was given to Stevens' niece to "safeguard" for him so that he would not spend it on drugs ? but that in fact it had all been spent on drugs.

She said Stevens approached his niece at her work and asked her to return the money, which she did by transferring it to a savings account.

"To tell the truth she's embarrassed by the whole thing," Ms Christopher said.

Stevens, she said, made withdrawals from an ATM at the hospital where his niece worked and the amounts varied from $1,000 to $2,000 a day.

Ms Christopher told the court that Stevens used all the money to buy drugs for himself, but Ms Tyndale and Mr. Justice Greaves argued that someone who had a $100-a-day drug habit would not suddenly have a $1,000-a-day drug habit.

Ms Christopher argued that her client was facing a prison sentence and did increase his drug use.

Mr. Justice Greaves told Ms Christopher and Ms Tyndale to "strike a deal" concerning the $25,000.

"Take a minute and work something out," Mr. Justice Greaves told them before leaving the court.

It was eventually decided not to include the $25,000 in the confiscation order which totalled $35,926.46 on the condition that the money Stevens received for the sale of his boat be included.

Before being sentenced Stevens apologised to the court and the people of Bermuda for the "mess" he had got himself into.