a string of drug related thefts.

Crown prosecutor Graveney Bannister last week told the court how Michael Anthony Redmond O'Leary, of St. Johns Road, was seen by a Police patrol conducting a transaction with another man on May 29 on Elliot Street in Pembroke.

O'Leary ran when he saw Police and when apprehended he threw two paper twists under the Police car. They were retrieved by officers and later found to be 0.08 grams of cocaine and 0.07 grams of heroin.

O'Leary also admitted stealing 12 paint brushes from Gorhams, valued at $235.17 on May 5, which he intended to sell to buy drugs.

At 1.45 p.m. on September 5, O'Leary entered the Shopping Centre on Victoria Street in Hamilton, went to the liquor aisle and took four bottles of Bacardi rum valued at $103.

He concealed the bottles in his work bag and tried to leave the store without paying, but was stopped by the manager who called Police.

O'Leary was also arrested on August 17 in Pembroke for stealing liquor.

Five bottles of Bacardi Rum and one bottle of Smirnoff Vodka with a total value of $150 were stuffed into O'Leary's bag before he tried to exit the store without paying for them.

Staff tried to stop him and alerted the Police who apprehended him and found the liquor which he admitted stealing to buy drugs.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner sentenced O'Leary to nine months in prison and recommended he attend Focus' "Camp Spirit'' on Darrell's Island for his drug problem.

O'Leary asked for a month already served to be taken into consideration, which Mr. Warner granted, meaning he will serve eight months in prison.

A Focus representative appeared in court and said they were willing to take O'Leary at the start of their April session, after he served his time.