Chief Justice Austin Ward handled a family affair last week when in a matter of hours he sent a man to prison and deferred sentencing his father.

Adib Abdul-Jabbar, also known as Stephen Fredrick Cann, and Neko Noel Cann both appeared in the Supreme Court on Thursday.

And Mr. Justice Ward warned 22-year-old Neko Cann about following bad examples -- particularly his father. Contrary to popular opinion, Mr. Justice Ward said, there are many "born Bermudian role models''.

"One can rise up, Mr. Cann,'' Mr. Justice Ward said. "You know, you've got to look for the best examples you can find.'' Mr. Justice Ward added: "Although you may have had some difficulties with your father, you can do it. There are other members of your family who are prominent in this community.'' A father of two, Neko Cann was released from prison last October for a dishonesty offence and is believed to be of no fixed abode.

He will serve three concurrent three-and-a-half year sentences in prison after he pleaded guilty to three counts of breaking and entering and stealing.

Crown counsel Larry Mussenden told Mr. Justice Ward that Cann stole eight Pitbull puppies from Erma Johansen's vacant apartment on January 23, 1998.

The dogs, four females and four males, were worth $4,800 and were not recovered.

He also admitted breaking into Webb Wholesalers of Sandys Parish on March 6 and stealing cash, a cash register, electric tools, electronic equipment and food worth a total of $3,376.70.

None of the cash was recovered by Police but Cann assisted in recovering the goods after he was arrested.

Cann also admitted a night-time breaking and entering of the home of his cousin Leonie Curtis and her father William's home and stealing $23 on March 9.

Mr. Mussenden said Cann entered the home and searched both people's bedrooms while they slept but only found the money in Mr. Curtis' wallet.

He told Police he did the crimes to support his two children and committed them after drinking and taking drugs.

Yesterday was the third time he has been convicted of breaking into the Curtis' home in recent years.

Cann made a impassioned plea before Mr. Justice Ward sentenced him, telling the silent court he was introduced to both cocaine and heroin while serving time at the Senior Training School as a teenager.

Reading from a prepared letter to the court, he said he had a difficult childhood being shifted from "pillar to post'' after his parent's divorce but said he was tired of the life he was living when using drugs.

His lawyer, Marc Telemaque, asked Mr. Justice Ward to consider Cann's age and guilty pleas before sentencing him, and said he had been accepted into a drug treatment programme run by the Salvation Army.

Mr. Telemaque also said the puppies were Cann's and were being held at his girlfriend's mother's unused apartment.

Abdul-Jabbar, 49, of Longridge Pass, Devonshire, pleaded guilty earlier yesterday to 16 counts of stealing, forgery, uttering false documents, and getting property by false pretences.

Abdul-Jabbar admitted he stole five cheques from James Bascome and received more than $1,000 from bank cashiers in late January this year.

Mr. Justice Ward ordered a social inquiry report into Abdul-Jabbar's life, which has included criminal records dating back into his teens.

Mr. Justice Ward said he was amazed to learn probation officers had never been ordered to produce a report.

Abdul-Jabbar was also represented by Mr. Telemaque, who asked for the report and said it may be able to establish why he continues to re-offend after seeking treatment.

"Yes, he's a regular customer,'' Mr. Justice Ward interjected. "There must be something on him. It would be a matter of updating it.''