A student who plead guilty to importing an air pistol last February was given an 18-month suspended sentence in Juvenile Court yesterday.

The boy ? who cannot be named for legal reasons ? is currently serving two years probation after being caught with marijuana after appearing in Juvenile Court in December. Last week he was released from correctional training after breaching a probation order.

The 4.5 millimetre air gun was spotted when it was x-rayed by technicians at the Bermuda International Airport last February. The boy admitted that he had given $20 to a friend to have the gun shipped by courier to his mother's address.

During sentencing the boy told family Magistrate Tyrone Chin that he was attending school, working and that he had stopped smoking. He apologised to the court and said he wanted to "do better next time".

Family members agreed that the boy had made a significant improvement and that he had been abiding by his curfew since being released from correctional training.

Crown counsel Graveney Bannister told the court that the age of the defendant, the nature of the offence and public interest were the most compelling reasons for asking for a suspended sentence and community service.

Mr. Chin sentenced the boy to an 18-month suspended sentence to go along with the two-year probation that had been set in December.

The boy is also required to fulfil 300 hours of community service within 18 months.