A 20-year-old has been sentenced to five years behind bars after almost $600,000 of cannabis resin was found in his suitcase.

Joshua Joell, from Paget, pleaded guilty in January to importing the illegal drug into the island in an incident in 2023.

Puisne Judge Alan Richards told Joell that having read his social inquiry report, the defendant appeared to have a difficulty saying “no”, but by agreeing to take part in the drug plot he had hurt himself and his family.

He added that while Joell’s family were in court to support him, those that sent him to the island with drugs in his suitcase were not.

“They have probably demonstrated to you that they never really cared about you at all,” Mr Justice Richards said.

“As I think you recognise, you should never have put them and their desires over your best interests and those of your family.”

The court heard that on the afternoon of December 15, 2023, Joell arrived on a British Airways flight from London and a canine unit alerted customs officers to his suitcase.

Questioned by customs officers, Joell said he had been in Britain for school and that he had packed the suitcase himself.

However, the officers noticed that the suitcase felt unusually heavy after its contents had been removed and an X-ray revealed packages hidden in the lining.

The officers also discovered several packages of a brown substance wrapped up as chocolates.

Testing later confirmed the packages contained a combined total of 5,988.87g of cannabis resin, worth up to $598,800 if sold on the streets of Bermuda.

Crown counsel T’Deana Spencer told the court that Joell had no previous offences, had pleaded guilty to the offence at an early stage and had expressed regret and remorse at an early stage.

She noted that speaking to a report writer, Joell said his decision to smuggle the drugs was “dumb” and “very stupid”.

However, Ms Spencer said the quantity of drugs in this case made it a serious matter and suggested a sentence of five years in custody.

Nicole Smith, for Joell, said the defendant had travelled to Britain to take part in a motor mechanic course, but agreed to bring the drugs with him to Bermuda for a promised $15,000.

She added that he was also concerned about what would happen to him if he refused to take the drugs.

“Clearly the risk that Joell took made him uneasy,” Ms Smith said. “He had second thoughts on the airplane and clearly my client knew better and clearly he had a conscience even though he chose to run the risk.”

She urged the court to show leniency towards Joell, stating that he was a young man who had made a mistake.

Joell himself apologised to the court, saying: “I’m truly, honestly sorry that I have done this.

“I’m sorry for my family.”

Mr Justice Richards said that it was his duty to impose a sentence that would deter others who might find themselves confronted with such a choice.

“This was a bad bargain that you struck and it has cost you one of your most precious things — your liberty,” he said.

Sentencing Joell to five years in jail, Mr Justice Richards added he believed that upon his release Joell would show himself to be a decent and productive member of society.

“This will be a test,” he said. “Don’t be saying yes to any more suggestions by people like those who got you involved in this.

“They don’t care about you and they don’t deserve your loyalty.”

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