"supergrass'' according to his lawyer.

Randolph Anthony Davis, of Foothills Road, Devonshire, was sentenced to four and half years in Supreme Court yesterday.

But his lawyer, Mr. Richard Hector asked Puisne Judge, the Hon. Mr. Justice Ward to show leniency because he said he would give evidence against "the real culprit,'' an importer in another case.

Thirty-year-old Davis was charged with handling with intent to supply, misuse of a controlled drug and possessing equipment intended for use of a controlled drug.

Davis pleaded guilty to the three charges after Police had raided his home on December 24 last year.

Crown Counsel, Mr. Diarmuid Doorly said that four pounds, or 1,840.5 grams, of cannabis with a street value of $90,725 had been found in Davis' home.

The drug is normally sold in envelopes for $25 each. Envelopes, bags, cigarette papers and a knife were also found by Police and said to have been used in connection with the charges.

Mr. Doorly said: "At the Police interview the defendant stated that all the cannabis and equipment was his. He had bought it for $5,000 in Sparrow's Nest.

His intention was to double his money.

"He did give some information in relation to an importer. He has been of some assistance.'' Davis had one previous conviction in 1984 for possession for which he was fined $50. He had been employed at the Elbow Beach Hotel as a waiter for 13 years before he was laid off when the hotel temporarily closed down.

Mr. Hector said: "My client pleaded guilty to handling the drug because the story that he gave to the Police was not a true story. He was trying to protect the person who had given him the drugs.

"After this matter came before the court my client was actively trying to assist the Police officers in the narcotics department to deal with the real culprit in this particular case. He stands ready and willing to help in the future.'' He said his client had been in a similar situation to many young blacks in Bermuda who succumbed to the temptation of drugs and were now in prison.

Mr. Hector said: "His assistance to the Police is something that puts him in jeopardy from the moment he does it, as the Court of Appeal mentioned in what are called Supergrass cases.

"My client can be described as a foolish young man to get involved in drugs.'' According to his lawyer, Davis was only a "small cog'' in the enterprise and said that he was seeking cash because he had been laid off over the winter.

Sentencing Davis, Mr. Justice Ward said that he would take into account the guilty plea and the assistance to the Police in the past and the future.