A drug addicted pregnant nurse who became a human drugs mule learned in Supreme Court yesterday that she would give birth to her child behind bars.

New Yorker Jennifer Ann Scott, 26, was imprisoned for five years by Chief Justice Austin Ward for importing over $30,000 worth of cocaine into the Island on February 6, 1997.

He also ordered that she receive treatment for her drug addiction.

The court heard that Scott, a nurse, and her luggage were searched after she arrived on a commercial flight from New York.

Nothing was found and she was told she would be taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for X-rays. At this point she said she might be pregnant.

A pregnancy test was negative and she was X-rayed. The duty doctor told Scott the X-rays had revealed an abnormality and she would have to be detained.

Scott was cautioned and said: "I was offered $1,000 to bring the drugs. I don't know if Michael swallowed anything, I don't think so. I swallowed probably ten or more. I never did this before, my career is up. Four ounces of cocaine ...'' She was given laxatives and detained. She was arrested and cautioned the following day.

On February 10, Scott excreted 20 pellets. These were seized and Scott was taken to the Co-Ed Facility in St. George's.

The pellets were examined by a Government analyst and found to contain a total of 106.4 grams of cocaine with a purity of approximately 82 percent.

Crown Counsel Wilhelm Bourne said the cocaine was calculated to have a street value of $34,125.

He told the court that "public interest demands that this scourge of drugs be eradicated''. He added that "public interest has to be balanced with the defendant's interests''.

Scott had a chance to tell authorities about what was in her body before she was x-rayed and did not, he noted. "Nothing was said until the x-rays were taken. She only spoke when she really had no choice as it was obvious that the evidence would be found.'' If she had given her plea of guilty earlier, he argued, she could have been entitled to more leniency.

There was also no evidence that Scott had positively assisted the authorities which could have also encouraged the court to be lenient, he said.

Mr. Bourne declined to recommend a sentence. "I do not propose to put a number to you. I will leave that to you,'' he told Mr. Justice Ward.

Scott's lawyer Archie Warner submitted that $34,000 worth of cocaine was "a relatively small amount'' and pointed to reports that he had presented to the court concerning Scott.

She entered drug rehabilitation centres in 1989, 1993 and November, 1996 -- three months before the offence occurred -- and had a history of illness including addictions to cocaine and heroin and depression.

One psychiatrist said Scott's thought processes were intact but her insight and judgment were "severely impaired''.

Before she arrived in Bermuda, continued Mr. Warner, she had been up for 48 hours on a drug binge. "It was under these circumstances that she agreed to bring the drugs into Bermuda,'' he said.

Her friend Mike encouraged her to come to Bermuda and bring the drug in, he added, and Scott was under the impression that it was for their personal use.

"She was clearly an addict for several years who tried to get away from this monkey unsuccessfully. This monkey was particularly present when she decided to get involved in this criminal folly.'' Mr. Warner noted his client was under the impression that she was pregnant when she arrived although early tests said this was not true.

She later tested positive, he continued, and was now seven months pregnant.

This was another example of her poor judgment while she was under the influence of drugs, he argued.

Mr. Warner asked Mr. Justice Ward to consider these factors in his sentencing as they were "very peculiar circumstances''.

Scott said: "I just wanted to say that I am very sorry and regretful for getting involved in this court here in Bermuda.''