The Supreme Court has jailed a Jamaican national for 10 years after he admitted to possessing a gun and ammunition.

Ricardo Alfonso Tucker told the court that he kept the gun for his own protection.

The court was told that Tucker, a father of one, dropped the gun while riding a motorcycle and led police on a chase through the outskirts of Hamilton before being arrested.

Had gun for protection

He was given the mandatory 10-year jail term for each of the two offences, with the court ruling that he must serve at least half of his sentence before applying for parole.

Tucker had told police he had acquired the gun for his protection after claiming that unidentified people were trying to kill him.

"I made a bad choice on the circumstances. I have been fired upon a few times in my life. I have had death threats. I have been shot at. I never intended to use it. I just had it for my protection and I apologise to the court," he said.

In 1997, Tucker was convicted on charges of unlawful assault, obstructing a police officer and wilful damage.

His attorney, Mark Pettingill, told the court his client was engaged and was the father of a small child.

But the court said, while it took into consideration the fact that Tucker had pleaded guilty at an early stage of the proceedings and his earlier convictions were not serious, it was important that his case be "adequately dealt with by the mandatory minimum 10 years."