A man who claimed that he attempted to smuggle ganja out of the country to help alleviate the effects of a respiratory illness he often suffers from during his stay overseas, was on Tuesday ordered to pay $17,600 in fines and imprisoned for three months when he appeared in the Half-Way-Tree Resident Magistrate's Court.

Robert Dawkins, who told the court that he was a farmer from St Ann, pleaded guilty to charges of possession of ganja, dealing in ganja and taking steps to export ganja yesterday after the court was told that he tried to smuggle two and a quarter pounds of ganja to Antigua through the Norman Manley International Airport.

When asked by the presiding magistrate why he chose to smuggle the drug, Dawkins replied that he used it for his athsma.

"I was just carrying it up for my personal use, your honour. At the time I had asthma and I wanted to have it over there so I could boil the tea and drink it, your honour. I was going over there to work, your honour," Dawkins told the court.

Brown then sentenced Dawkins, 43, and who claimed that he had three children, to pay $3,600 for possession of ganja and $14,000 for attempting to export the drug. He however dismissed the dealing charge.

Brown then ordered Dawkins to spend three months behind bars at hard labour, noting also that if he failed to pay the fines he would instead spend an additional three months behind bars.

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