A heroin addict has been jailed for six years and fined €4,000 after he was found guilty of possession of 48.7 grams of the drug almost 13 years ago.

Victor Buttigieg, 42, from Naxxar, was found guilty of possession with intent to deal in the illegal substance after the police also found several plastic sachets with similar weights.

The court heard how the Drug Squad police carried out a search at Mr Buttigieg's house on July 3, 2002, where they found plastic sachets with a total of 48.7 grams of heroin. The heroin was split into eight plastic sachets.

He told the police that he had purchased a total of 52 grams from a supplier names Mustafa, who he said "forced" him to buy the entire amount even though he did not require that much.

But Magistrate Marseann Farrugia did not buy his version, saying it was "incredible" that Mr Buttigieg bought the heroin ready split into sachets, as if they were ready for sale.

Handing down her judgment, Magistrate Farrugia noted that the accused had 15 convictions on his criminal record, including four over the possession of heroin and cocaine, a conviction of aggravated possession and three for traffic related offences.

He had also been convicted for possession of weapons, three convictions for threatening the police and one for illegal arrest and theft.

She, therefore, jailed him for six years and fined him €4,000. She also ordered him to pay €217 in court expenses.