breaking into Abyssinia Imports and stealing cash and equipment worth $200.

Ray, 27, of Spring Hill, Warwick, appeared before Chief Justice Austin Ward in Supreme Court yesterday.

He committed the offence on February 20. He smashed a glass door at the front of the Court Street store and removed a cash register.

He destroyed the register while removing the $50 inside and on his arrest admitted 39 similar offences. As a result of his admissions the Police were able to clear up a large number of cases.

In recognition of his assistance, the Police Service decided not to take any further action against him for those 39 matters.

Crown counsel Wilhelm Bourne said Ray should receive a sentence of two years and not be further penalised because he provided tremendous help to authorities.

Ray's lawyer Marc Telemaque said his client was currently in custody serving two years for other matters and agreed with Mr. Bourne that a two year sentence was the correct one.

Mr. Telemaque said that Ray's cooperation enabled the Police to resolve the other matters which would not have happened had he not cooperated.

"We do embrace the (Crown's) sentencing range,'' he said. "My client has pleaded guilty and I ask that the court take that into account.

"It is not the case that the other matters were the result of a Police investigation. Had it not been for the defendant, those other 39 matters would have remained outstanding.

"Out of that background the court can feel some confidence in a sentence of two years which we submit is sufficient time to address his drug dependency.'' Mr. Telemaque then asked that if the court accepted his argument, the two year term should run concurrent with the sentence he was already serving.

"He is already serving time for offences so similar that we must look beyond the realm of the custodial sentence into the realm of treatment,'' he added.

Before sentence, Ray said:"I apologise to the Lord because this is definitely not his plan for my life.''