A judge said a 20-year heroin addict with 24 previous convictions for cycle theft ?virtually took the country for a ride,? before he sentenced him to three years imprisonment and two years probation in Supreme Court yesterday.

McNeil Wilson, 38, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to two counts of receiving stolen motorcycles on unknown dates between April 1 and April 12, 2005.

?Something must be done to persuade this defendant he cannot continue on this road of virtually taking the country for a ride,? Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves said in his sentencing. ?He could have opened a business renting cycles, selling cycles. If he donated all these bikes to charity, look how many would be happy, unlike the unhappiness that seems to be spreading. That?s a stable of cycles.?

Crown counsel Oonagh Vaucrosson said the owner of a Yamaha RXS motorcycle worth $3,000 parked his cycle at Salt Kettle ferry stop at 10.30 p.m. on April 1, 2005 but when he returned later that day it was missing. Another man parked his $1,200 Suzuki AX 100 cycle on King Street, Pembroke at 1 p.m. on April 6, 2005, she said, but later that day discovered it was stolen.

Police were called in both instances, she said, and on April 11, 2005, Police found the two stolen cycles among others hidden in a stone quarry 75 feet away from a stable near Controversy Lane, Pembroke where Wilson was arrested the next day. ?I only used it to go to the Point Mart once,? Wilson told Police. ?I used the bike to get medication for the guys.?

The prosecutor said the maximum sentence for this offence was seven years in prison and the only mitigating factor was his guilty plea.

Although the victims had their bikes returned to them, the prosecutor said they were not in the same condition and their value was reduced.

?He said he did not steal the bikes but made use of them knowing they were stolen and removed parts,? Ms Vaucrosson said. ?He said he was addicted to heroin since he was 17-years-old. The offences he has been sentenced for in the past have been offences committed to sustain his drug habit.?

During the sentencing, Mr. Justice Greaves said Wilson?s long record could not be ignored.

?Of the long list of numerous convictions the defendant has 24 previous convictions for theft of cycle, with one of those being an attempted theft and another one for receiving a stolen cycle,? Mr. Justice Greaves said. ?He has received every sentence known at the time. In Supreme Court in 1996 alone he was sentenced to three years in prison,? the judge said. ?I am unable to reason how I shall today be able to impose a sentence of less than that. In fact, I think given his history it would not be wrong in principle if I increased the sentence up to five years.?

However, the judge said he would provide the opportunity of drug rehabilitation for Wilson after his release. ?It is for the defendant, his family, and the Probation Department to arrange for local or overseas treatment,? he said. ?The court has no objection to any overseas treatment if available.?