A man who was caught in possession of 37 grams of heroin has been jailed for four years after a court found him guilty of aggravated possession of the illegal substance.

Duncan Scerri, 40, from St Paul’s Bay, was also fined €3,000 and ordered to pay €600 in court expenses.

Magistrate Marseann Farrugia heard how the police had monitored the man’s residence on suspicion of drug deals. On April 29, 2006 they raided the apartment and found 37 grams of heroin as well as other drug paraphernalia, including digital weighing scales. The police also found €815 in cash.

Mr Scerri told the police that the money were his and that he was unemployed and lived on social benefits of €60 a week.

He told the court he was a drug user, with the court noting that he had enough heroin for 24 days.

The magistrate ruled that it did not make sense that a drug addict bought so much heroin in advance, especially when there was no income through employment.

She therefore ruled that the heroin was not for his exclusive use and jailed him for four years and fined him €3,000.

Police Inspector Nezren Grixti prosecuted.