Staff at a Pembroke gymnasium found a man who broke into the building asleep inside the premises, Magistrates’ Court was told today.

Ahmad Muhammad, 35, admitted last week to trespassing on and intending to steal from Quality Gymnastics, located on Berkeley Road, on June 21.

Muhammad, from Sandys, also pleaded guilty to stealing from a private residence, also in Pembroke, and prowling around another one in Devonshire weeks before being caught in the gym.

The court heard that Muhammad first entered the Gospel Lane home on May 21, while the occupant was at church, and stole $5 worth of food.

After hearing footsteps, a tenant at the property found Muhammad in the kitchen and asked what he was doing there. He responded by shrugging his shoulders and leaving the premises.

The court was then told that Muhammad was hanging around the Devonshire property on June 1, until the owner spotted him through security footage and told him to leave.

Lastly, Muhammad broke into the gymnasium and damaged a wall, as well as several locks in the process, before falling asleep.

After finding Muhammad, staff called the police, who charged him with all three offences two days later.

During today’s court appearance, prosecutor Alan Richards highlighted Muhammad’s long list of previous convictions and reminded the court of his desire to “do jail time” instead of participate in a court treatment programme.

Saying the community needs to be protected from Muhammad, Mr Richards suggested he spend to 18 months behind bars for the incidents.

Agreeing with Mr Richards, senior magistrate Maxanne Anderson ordered that the 18-month prison sentence for all three offences run concurrently.

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