A Warwick man was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to compensate his victims for more than $2,300 after he admitted to stealing a V-80 motorcycle which had more than $1,000 hidden inside.

Germel Dennis Williams, 33, of Khyber Heights Lane, Warwick, changed his plea to guilty in November.

In Supreme Court yesterday, Crown counsel Oonagh Vaucrossen said the victim last saw his V-80 motorcycle at Par-La-Ville car park on September 3, 2004.

A locked box containing $1,317, which belonged to the victim's employer, and was hidden in the basket of the V-80 was also stolen.

Williams was later seen by an off-duty Policeman riding the V-80 in an erratic manner and looking over his shoulder.

On September 21, 2004, Williams was arrested for the theft of the bike and cash.

Neither the motorcycle, valued at $1,000, nor the cash were recovered.

Mrs. Vaucrossen said Williams was a heroin addict who had failed court-imposed drug rehabilitation many times before.

In May 2003 was sentenced to two years imprisonment and two-year probation in the Supreme Court for a similar offence.

She said Williams had been on probation for this 2003 sentence, when he stole the V-80 with cash inside.

"Despite attempts to change his behaviour he refuses to change," she said. "He should be given a chance to redeem himself, or he will re-offend".

And although she said some form of drug rehabilitation should be included in the sentence it should take place in prison, so he can be in a suitable state to re-enter society, she said.

The charge held a maximum sentence of seven years.

However she asked Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves to consider a sentence "at the higher end" of a three to five year sentence.

Delivering his sentence, Mr. Justice Greaves said Williams had an atrocious record of thefts including breaking and entering and theft of cycles.

He called Williams a consistent and ever-present threat and said people should be able to keep cycles at their homes without fear of them being stolen.

Mr. Justice Greaves ordered Williams to pay $2,317 to replace the bike and cash to his victims in two years or be sentenced to an additional six months in prison.

When Williams asked how he was supposed to pay the fine in prison, Mr. Justice Greaves said Williams could be placed on work-release.

Work-release takes place at the prison farm in St. George's. Prisoners are allowed to work during the day in jobs like construction, but at night they must return to prison.

"It seems he learnt nothing," Mr. Justice Greaves said. "I think therefore, society must be protected from him now."