Four Police officers, two army officers and the duty counsel were needed to restrain a man after he was handed down a six-month sentence yesterday in Magistrates' Court.

Lico Jamar Smith, 20, of Victoria Road, St. George's, appeared in court for failing to attend the Bermuda Regiment six times between September 6 and September 29.

Smith initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, but later after speaking with duty counsel Ray DeSilva, admitted the offence.

Mr. DeSilva wanted to know why Smith was still in handcuffs while he was in court and shortly thereafter the cuffs were removed.

Crown counsel Juan Wolffe told the court that Smith had repeatedly failed to appear and had in fact been to court on July 16, 2002 for non-appearance of 21 sessions. At that time Smith was given a three-month suspended sentence, suspended for one year.

The court heard that Smith still has some 29 months of service remaining.

Mr. Wolffe suggested that the suspended sentence now be activated, because less than two months later he was failing to attend again.

Mr. DeSilva said Smith was ill for part of the time and that he did not have transportation to get from St. George's to Warwick.

"He has just bought a bus pass so that he can travel more freely," said Mr. DeSilva.

Magistrate William Francis, before handing down the six month prison sentence, told the court about the days when he was a Berkeley student and how he and other young men made their way to school on time from all over the Island. He said: "And there were no buses then."

When Smith was being led from the court an army officer bumped into him and he flew into fight with him kicking and biting officers before he was carried from the courtroom.