his drug habit was yesterday sentenced to two years in prison.

Keith Trott, 23, made off with anywhere between $130 and $600, Crown Counsel Mr. Brian Calhoun said.

Trott, of Smith's Parish, pleaded guilty to the February 10 robbery.

"I'm sorry for the crime I committed,'' he told Puisne Judge the Hon. Mr.

Justice Ward. "I'd like you to deal with me as leniently as possible.'' Mr. Calhoun said the Smith's Parish resident entered the North Shore Road, Devonshire restaurant at about 10 p.m.

He said Trott's lower face was covered by a handkerchief and he was armed with a 9 1 -inch switch blade knife.

Mr. Calhoun said Trott told officers he took the knife to "...scare the people in Rickshaw so they won't come near when I was going for the money''.

After threatening employees with the knife, Trott threw a cash register to the ground, stealing between $130 and $600 before escaping.

He was questioned two days later after he was identified as being in the area before the incident.

"At that time,'' said Mr. Calhoun, "he admitted being the perpetrator of this offence and claimed that he had spent the money on drugs to satisfy an existing drug problem.'' He said the cash register, valued at $1,200, was destroyed.

Det. Con. Franklin Foggo said Trott had been in jail since then.

He said Trott, once employed as a gardener, was fired because of his addiction to drugs and alcohol.

Trott's lawyer, Mr. Tim Marshall said his client confessed immediately and co-operated fully with Police.

"He feels very badly for the fear he caused to people in the restaurant and the embarrassment he caused to his family. Indeed, while he did threaten with the knife by waving it, it was solely to scare the individuals in the restaurant and accomplish the robbery. He admitted he never would have used the knife to have caused anybody any physical harm.'' Mr. Ward told Trott: "...the offence is serious but the circumstances place it in the lower range of such offences.'' He suggested that while in custody, Trott take advantage of any drug counselling available.

He allowed the time Trott spent in custody to be counted toward his sentence.