A 27-year-old reformed drug addict was jailed for two years despite the testimony of a police superintendent who said that the accused had since become his electrician.

Jason Xuereb had been caught by the police on April 23, 2003 near the Mile End football ground with 150 ecstasy pills hidden in two plastic bags between the seats of his Volkswagen Golf.

On searching his house the police then found traces of cocaine on a plate as well as four pieces of cannabis.

In his statement to the police Mr Xuereb had said that it was the first time he had bought such a large consignment and had paid Lm3 per pill. He planned to sell the drug for around Lm 3.50 or Lm 4 apiece.

Police Superintendent Raymond Anastasi, called by the defence, told the court that since the start of the case Mr Xuereb had become his electrician.

A Caritas report on him said he was drug-free and had made considerable progress to kick the habit. Magistrate Lawrence Quintano, however, jailed him for two years and fined him €2,000 after finding him guilty of possessing ecstasy in circumstances that denote it was not for his exclusive use, trafficking in the drug and possession of cocaine.

The court took into consideration the enormous progress Mr Xuereb had made in his effort to kick the habit but said it could not ignore the large number of pills found.