A repeat drug offender who attempted to bring more than half a kilo of heroin into the island has been warned he faces a lengthy prison term.

Liam Patrick Flanagan admitted three charges and appeared before Deemster Alastair Montgomerie for sentencing in the Court of General Gaol Delivery.

He had admitted being concerned in the production of heroin, by arranging for it to be delivered to the island, and attempting to possess heroin.

He has admitted producing 563 grammes of heroin worth around £56,000 to the Isle of Man.

He also admitted possessing a small amount of cannabis.

The 50-year-old, originally of Drury Terrace in Douglas, has been remanded in custody since the offence on December 7 last year.

Addressing Flanagan, who was unrepresented in court, Deemster Montgomerie told him prison was inevitable and it had been submitted by the prosecution that the starting point for sentencing was a term of 16 years’ immediate custody.

’In addition, by commission of these new offences, you have breached your sentence expiry date for drugs convictions from 2013 and could therefore be sent back for more than one and a half years for that too.

’So we could be talking about a long term of custody,’ he said.

In view of the potential length of the prison sentence, Deemster Montgomerie said he was not prepared to proceed with sentencing Flanagan until he had been given a further chance to secure legal representation to put his case in court.

’So I’m going to adjourn for a further two weeks to give you the oppoortunity to reconsider if you want to be represented by an advocate,’ he said.

’It clearly behoves me today to give you that opportunity given the potential sentence we are looking at.’

But Flanagan was adamant he did not want proceedings to be delayed.

’I don’t want a lawyer, I want to be sentenced today,’ he said.

But Deemster Montgomerie told him: ’It is my duty, given the potential sentence to give you a final period for reflection.’

Flanagan said it meant he would have to endure two weeks of ’hell’ waiting to find out his sentence.

’It’s only delaying the inevitable and I won’t change my mind. I’ve got a short mitigation and I’m going to do it myself,’ he said.

However, Deemster Montgomerie was not persuaded: ’I would urge you to reconsider and I hope for your sake you will re consider and if I put you through two weeks of hell, then so be it.’

Flanagan reappears for sentencing on Friday March 10.