Magistrates' Court yesterday for stealing.

Freedom Campbell of Pearmans Hill, Warwick, pleaded guilty to taking a radio cassette recorder worth $300 from a boat moored at Mangrove Bay.

He admitted a further charge of entering the Sandys house of his father and stepmother despite being banned from the residence.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Kenrick James said his stepmother heard a noise and discovered Campbell forcing open a bedroom window with a broom handle. But he fled when she approached.

Duty Counsel Mr. Juan Wolfe yesterday said Campbell returned to the house to retrieve some clothes but thought nobody was at home.

He said that at the time of the theft Campbell was experiencing serious financial problems.

Since the incident, the radio had been returned and Campbell had fully cooperated with the Police and made amends with his stepmother, Mr. Wolfe said.

Acting Senior Magistrate the Wor. Edward King fined Campbell $250 for each offence.

MAGISTRATE BRANDS KNIVES `COWARDLY' CTS Magistrate brands knives `cowardly' Acting Senior Magistrate the Wor. Edward King told a knife-wielding 22-year-old man he should have run away or used his fists to defend himself.

"Show you are a man -- knives are cowardly,'' he said. "The best way to protect yourself with a knife is to leave it at home.'' Arnold Shawn Astwood, 22 of Khyber Heights, Warwick, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court yesterday to possession of an offensive weapon on February 2.

But Astwood, who has a previous conviction for possessing an offensive weapon, denied assaulting Anthony Zuill on the same date in Warwick.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Kenrick James said Astwood was seen wielding the knife after a dispute arose between the two men in a warehouse car park.

A member of the public intervened and took the knife away. When Police arrested Astwood in March, he told them: "I protected myself.'' Mr. King fined Astwood $350 and ordered that the knife be destroyed.

PUBLIC INDECENCY LANDS MAN IN JAIL CTS Public indecency lands man in jail A Sandys man who committed an indecent act in public was jailed for six months by Acting Senior Magistrate the Wor. Edward King.

Albert Preston Simons Jr., 31, admitted in Magistrates' Court yesterday to masturbating on Church Street in full view of passers-by on December 20.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Kenrick James told the court Police spotted Simons just after 10.30 a.m. and arrested him on suspicion on committing an indecent act.

He added that Simons has a number of previous convictions for similar offences.

Duty Counsel Mr. Juan Wolfe said Simons recognised he had a problem and requested a psychological report.

But Mr. King denied the request saying Simons had benefitted from a number of reports in the past.

"He just came off a suspended prison sentence but the problem doesn't seem to be getting any better,'' Mr. King said before passing sentence.

DRUNK DRIVER GETS ONE-YEAR BAN CTS Drunk driver gets one-year ban A drunk driver was fined $400 and ordered off the road for 12 months in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Augustus Esnard, 43, of Middle Road, Southampton, pleaded guilty to the charge of driving while impaired.

Police spotted Esnard driving east along Middle Road in the early hours of December 14, said Police prosecutor Sgt. Kenrick James.

The officers followed the car but the driver then appeared to put the hand brake on resulting in a near collision with the Police car.

Esnard admitted to having a couple of drinks and his speech was slurred, Sgt.

James said.

A breathalyser test showed he had 200 milligrams of alcohol in 80 millilitres of blood -- twice the legal limit.