western bureau:

A professed homosexual, who tried to smuggle cocaine out of the island to finance his gay wedding and assist his ailing parents, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to the charges before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court.

On Wednesday, when the case was brought before the court, the accused man pleaded to the charges of possession of, dealing in and attempting to export two and three-quarter pounds of cocaine.

He was arrested and charged on July 2, after he checked in at the Sangster International Airport to board a Continental Airline flight to Newark, New Jersey, in the United States.

He was searched at the security checkpoint and a bag containing 70 packages of cocaine was recovered from the front of his underwear. He subsequently confessed to ingesting drugs and was, therefore, taken to the Cornwall Regional Hospital.

Court records show that while at the hospital's X-ray room, a package of the same substance was removed from the rear of his underwear. He also later excreted 21 pellets, while admitted to the hospital.

When he was arrested, he told the police that he was getting married and was trying to assist in funding the event, as his boyfriend, who is presently unemployed, could not afford it.

By way of a probation officer, the man told the court that in addition to his wedding expenses, he committed the act out of "selfless love" for his parents, as his father is a cancer patient and his mother is scheduled to undergo major surgery on her pelvis.

The 35-year-old former flight attendant of a prominent airline, also explained that ever since he was young, he has never had an interest in women and pursued his homosexual lifestyle in England, as he knows that the Jamaican society would not accept it.

The accused, who has been living in Birmingham, England, since 2005 after obtaining his work permit, said he knew his actions had serious implications but was trying to give back to his parents.

He was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment with fines of $100,000 for possession and $150,000 for attempting to export. If the fines are not paid, six months will be added to his sentence.