A Jamaican man convicted of importing 220 grams of heroin into Bermuda was jailed for 18 years yesterday.

Omar Davy, 38, from Mandeville, Jamaica, had claimed he was forced to bring the drugs to the island on July 10 last year after his life and those of his family were threatened by a Jamaican “don”.

A jury found him guilty by a unanimous verdict of importing the controlled drug, possessing it with intent to supply and obstructing customs officers.

Delivering the sentence, Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves noted the jury delivered the verdict in “record time” on Monday.

Mr Justice Greaves said: “That was rejected no matter what way you look at it.

“It was the fastest verdict I have ever seen in the years I have sat on the bench. The jury was ready in 20 minutes.”

He added that a strong message must be sent to dissuade others who seek to profit from bringing drugs into the island.

Mr Justice Greaves said: “Society needs to be protected from persons like this defendant who take it upon themselves to travel to this country for no better reason than to profit from the supply of these seriously addictive drugs to our citizens.

“They are remorseless, they are predatory, they are dangerous, and a sentence from this court must not only punish them, but it must deter them. The message must be clear.”

The court heard that Davy flew to Bermuda from Canada on July 10 last year and was selected for a secondary search.

He was later seen on CCTV taking a package from the back of his pants and stashing it in an already-searched bag.

Davy later fled the airport, chased by customs officers, and was arrested on the Causeway.

A second search of the bag revealed two packages taped together containing a total of 220.88 grams of 52 per cent pure heroin.

Prosecutors initially told the court the drugs could fetch up to $647,900 in Bermuda, but during the course of the trial a police analyst gave a revised figure of $765,700. Davy claimed in court that he was abducted by a group of men the night before his flight over a $24,000 debt to a Jamaican drug lord.

He said he agreed to take a package to Bermuda after the men beat him, choked him unconscious and threatened the lives of his family members.

Davy also claimed he had no idea what the package contained.

But Javone Rogers, Crown counsel, said the jury’s quick an unanimous verdict showed they roundly rejected Davy’s story.

He called Davy’s version of events a “calculated, desperate and transparent attempt to elude justice” and called for a sentence of between 18 and 21 years.

Archibald Warner, defence lawyer for Davy, argued the court needed to take into account Davy’s personal circumstances.

Mr Warner said: “He is a young man, he has no previous convictions. He has a young child. He told you that he is a man of God.

“In the circumstances, the defendant begs the mercy of the court.”

Mr Justice Greaves responded: “He must have known he was young, with a young child, and a man of God before he committed this offence.

“In my view, it’s too late now to raise these issues to receive any benefit there from.”

Davy himself apologised for his actions, but maintained that he had been forced to bring the drugs into Bermuda.

He said: “It was the truth. I regret not having gone to the police and reporting it, but I didn’t because of the experience I had.

“I’m from Jamaica. It’s different in Jamaica. I think I put more power with the don than with the power of the police.”

Mr Justice Greaves said he accepted the suggestions of the Crown, and sentenced Davy to 18 years for both the drug importation and possession of heroin with intent to supply.

He further sentenced Davy to six months in prison for obstruction of a customs officer, but ordered that all three sentences run concurrently with time already served taken into account.

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