A man was yesterday jailed for eight months after he was found guilty of heroin trafficking in July 2002.

Antoine Agius, 30, of Qormi, had been arrested by Drug Squad police following a controlled delivery of the drug.

Mr Agius had been mentioned by a man arrested over drug possession. During their investigations, Anthony Frendo said he was willing to help the police by naming the person from whom he usually bought heroin.

The police went one step further and set up a controlled delivery of the drug.

Mr Frendo called Mr Agius and asked him whether he had any “of the good stuff” and that he needed five sachets.

They agreed on a price, which Mr Agius discounted by €2.33 each, and agreed to meet later in front of the St Sebastian church in Qormi.

As soon as the drugs had exchanged hands, the police intervened, but Mr Agius managed to drive off. He was apprehended within minutes.

Eleven years after the crime took place, when he was still 19, Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras found Mr Agius guilty of drug trafficking but cleared him of committing the crime in a distance of fewer than 100 metres from a place frequented by youths.

She also fined him €700.

The court noted how the case started being heard three years after the arraignment, due to Mr Agius’s repeated absence from court, followed by several deferrals which resulted in such a long case.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri appeared for the accused.