A 20-year-old man who admitted stealing items from a Warwick beach has been tasked with 200 hours of community service.

Micah Perrozzi had pleaded guilty to a single count of theft related to an incident on the morning of May 18.

The court had heard that a tourist couple had been visiting Chaplin Bay and had left a bag on the beach while climbing some nearby rocks.

However, they then saw Perrozzi grab the items and run away.

Later Perrozzi admitted the offence to officers and all of the stolen items — including an iPad and a quantity of cash — were recovered.

During a sentencing hearing Perrozzi apologised for his actions, saying he understood the detrimental impact of what he had done.

“They were tourists,” he said. “They spent a lot of time and energy to come to Bermuda and it’s not a good thing that this happened to them. It won’t happen again.”

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo said the crime made no sense, questioning Perrozzi’s choices on the day of the offence.

“You supposedly went for a run on the beach and evil just entered your mind,” he said. “You saw the opportunity and you swooped in.”

Mr Tokunbo said it would be appropriate, if the court was employed to do so, to send Perrozzi to East Broadway with a sign labelling him a thief to both humiliate him and warn others.

However, he noted that Perrozzi had no previous convictions, a family to support him and seemed to be genuinely remorseful.

He sentenced Perrozzi to a conditional discharge, with conditions including two years of probation and that Perrozzi carry out 200 hours of community service.

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