Ten months after he walked into Hamilton Police Station and handed explosives and bullets over to Police officers, a Sandys man has been given probation.

Nineteen-year-old Lorenzo Robinson told Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner on Friday that he understood "very clearly'' his sentence of meeting with probation officers weekly and taking psychiatric and drug counselling.

The sentence was handed down despite Probation Service's reluctance to handle Robinson's case. A social inquiry report indicated the agency did not have the resources to deal with him.

A psychiatric report said Robinson was not mentally ill, an opinion to which Mr. Warner responded: "But he is mad!'' Crown counsel Graveney Bannister called it a "grave breach of security'' and said Robinson had "made a mockery of the elaborate security systems at Bermuda International Airport''.

Robinson, now living on Olive Lane, told Police on October 5 he had no intention of using the ammunition and fireworks but brought it into the Island to show how easy it was to do.

He also wanted to show his resourcefulness and honesty in the hope of enhancing his chances of becoming a Police investigator.

Robinson opted for a Supreme Court trial in October but his case was sent back to the lower court.

Robinson's lawyer Elizabeth Christopher fought on Friday to keep him out of prison and a friend of Robinson also implored Mr. Warner to order probation for him and monitor his progress against drugs and homelessness with regular court dates.

In the end, Mr. Warner said: "I've heard enough. I'm going to persuade Probation Services to supervise this defendant again. Twenty four months with very, very strict guidelines.'' The maximum penalty under the Firearms Act is a two year prison sentence and a $5,000 fine and the maximum under the Explosives Act is 12 months imprisonment and a $500 fine.

Mr. Warner said he had to consider the "potential threat'' Robinson had put to society with the importation.

At one point, in reaction to a comment by Ms Christopher that Robinson had turned over the ammunition rather than use it, Mr. Warner said: "This man brought live ammunition onto an air plane and into Bermuda! "This is a very strange case,'' he added. "A psychiatric report done on June 9 shows he was still living topsy-turvy and involved in drugs. They say he ain't mad and that he is a drug user and that's what makes him a bit psychotic. But he is mad!'' Robinson returned to Bermuda on October 4 after spending several months in a rehabilitation programme in Alabama.

He walked into Central CID and asked to speak to the Inspector in charge.

When he was finally attended to, Robinson reached into a knapsack and put a sealed package containing 1,280 firecrackers and an explosive cap with detonation wire attached on the desk.

Robinson also produced a sandwich bag containing 102 Remington .22 calibre bullet rounds.

The Inspector seized the items and was told how they were brought into the airport. Robinson told Customs officers he had nothing to declare.

Robinson hid the items in his luggage under his clothing. He also told Police he was aware that bringing in the bullets and ammunition was an offence but thought he would be caught.