Jail for man caught with ecstasy at nightclub

A Rabat man who claimed he carried drugs into a Paceville club in return for €46 was jailed for eight months and fined €468.

Gavin Bugeja, 20, was accused of being in possession of ecstasy pills with the intent to traffic in the drug on the dancefloor at Axis on the night before the May 1 public holiday in 2004.

In a sworn statement, Mr Bugeja claimed that someone had given him 22 ecstasy pills to take into the club for Lm20, the equivalent of €46.59.

That person entered the premises and Mr Bugeja said he followed about half an hour later but he could not find him. Police officers caught him holding the pills.

Mr Bugeja said he did not use ecstasy but had accepted to carry the drugs into the club because he was broke. He admitted he had smoked cannabis about two months earlier and said he was carrying the other person's money. The alleged pusher would send him messages asking him to sell the pills but he always refused.

Probation officer Miriam Sevasta told the court Mr Bugeja had a steady job and had his family's total support. Mr Bugeja's father noted there had never been any other problems of the sort after his son's arrest that night.

Mr Bugeja was also found guilty of possession of cannabis resin in the previous months.

Police Inspector Norbert Ciappara prosecuted.