Island's hospitals, yesterday received a six-month suspended prison sentence.

Acting Senior Magistrate the Wor. John Judge handed down the sentence after admitting Bermuda had no facility to care for people such as 51-year-old Cyril Tucker.

Tucker, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to trespassing at St. Brendan's psychiatric hospital on June 6, breaking a window pane and damaging a screen at Government's nearby recycling centre, and using offensive words.

A St. Brendan's nursing supervisor found Tucker walking along a corridor in the hospital around 3 p.m. on June 6, Insp. Peter Duffy, prosecuting, said.

Tucker, who earlier had been barred from the grounds by means of a registered letter, was escorted off the premises.

Police were later called after a hospital staff member saw him attempting to force open windows at the recycling centre, Insp. Duffy said.

Tucker broke a screen and entered the centre where Police found him.

But when questioned by Police, he shouted obscenities and was subsequently arrested.

Insp. Duffy said Tucker, who is unemployed, "has been a constant source of irritation to people at St. Brendan's''.

He noted St. Brendan's concern that Tucker had abused females at the hospital in the past.

"And,'' Insp. Duffy told Mr. Judge, "he last appeared before you 10 days ago. That time he was at King Edward (VII Memorial Hospital).'' Tucker was sentenced to seven days in prison in February for breaking into St.

Brendan's and taking food.

"You're going to end up in serious trouble,'' Mr. Judge told Tucker. "You must learn to behave yourself.'' Mr. Judge told probation officer Mr. Vincent Ratteray: "This man needs supervision, obviously. The problem is there's no facility in Bermuda to look after him''.

Mr. Ratteray agreed, adding the Reach Out (rehabilitation) programme was not suitable; the Salvation Army night shelter was full; and Tucker was discharged from St. Brendan's after spending six months there.

"We're all running out of patience with you,'' Mr. Judge told Tucker before sentencing him to six months in prison, suspended for six months.

He also fined Tucker $50 for the damaged window, and he took into account the two days Tucker spent in Police custody to offset the offensive words charge.