A prowler, beaten by Devonshire residents who accused him of breaking into nearby homes, has been sentenced to two years behind bars.Winslow Edward (Scaley) Williams admitted to lurking around a North Ridge Crescent home at 9.30am on November 4.Supreme Court heard the 44-year-old was fiddling with window blinds on the Devonshire property, while the homeowner was inside his bedroom.The resident looked outside and saw Williams wearing white gloves and a stalking-type hat as he continued to walk around the property.He decided to have a talk with the prowler, but as the resident approached Williams made good his escape on foot.The man got on his motorbike and chased the suspect through the area, but later found him lying unconscious on Foothills Road in Devonshire.He had allegedly been set upon by other residents in the Loyal Hill neighbourhood.A banner reading ‘Don’t Steal in Loyal Hill’ was later hung by North Shore Road in what some called a case of vigilante justice.Supreme Court heard Williams was a prolific offender, with a string of similar offences dating back to 1983.According to psychological reports, he is a heroine addict and frequently relapses, despite several bouts in drug treatment.In his own defence Williams said: “I would like to apologise first of all to my family for the humiliation it caused them. I would like to apologise to the complainant.”He told the court he was under stress as “someone [he] cared about” had filed sexual assault complaints against him.Police were allegedly looking for him, which led him to relapse to using drugs and breaking and entering to get cash to feed his habit, he said.“I am not making no excuses but at the time my frame of mind was with this type of offence over my head from someone I cared about I didn’t know what to do.“I should have went to somebody and talked, because I was doing so good. I take responsibility of what has happened, but I hope you take some mercy and look at what can happen in the long run because at the end of the day just locking me up [won’t be enough] I need the help. I can’t do it by myself. Once I start using drugs I cannot stop,” he said.Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons said while the offence of prowling didn’t seem serious, from the perspective of the residents “it is very disconcerting”.She said Williams’ behaviour either resulted in the loss of property or the loss of a person’s sense of security.The judge told him: “Drug use is no excuse for crime. Otherwise no drug user would every have to face the penalty of the law.”In addition to the prison sentence, she recommended he undergo drug treatment and said: “Though you ask the court for help, the first step towards your recovery must be yours and you must take your step voluntarily.”