Punching a man and pushing another has earned a homeless man a six-month prison sentence.

After a night in a Police cell, Cannoth Roberts pleaded guilty last week before Acting Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner to punching George Kelly on the evening of December 29.

He also admitted pushing Alan Weeks inside a church and using offensive words and threatening behaviour toward Mr. Weeks on July 25.

Roberts told Mr. Warner: "You don't understand about being out on the street.

I've been out there nine years.

"I'm a to myself person. He was laying on the bench outside of Adult Education and I went up there to find a job.

"He cursed me. Telling me not to knock on the door. I have been dealing with his ignorance for six years. I just got tired of him. I only hit him once.'' But Mr. Warner said: "I'll put you where people can't irritate you. That kind of foolishness must stop. You have a history of violently assaulting people.'' Roberts, however, replied that he would only get out of prison to find he was "out there with no roof over my head''.

Crown counsel Veronica Daley said Roberts had punched Mr. Kelly outside the Adult Education School on the corner of Brunswick and Dundonald streets.

She said the attack was for "no reason whatsoever''.

Mr. Kelly suffered a swollen and bloody nose.

In the Sunday, July 25 incident, Mr. Warner heard Roberts approached Mr. Weeks in the lower area of the St. Paul's AME Church on Court Street, asking if he wanted his car washed.

Mr. Weeks, who was playing a piano, refused, and Roberts became aggressive, asking: "You're making fun of me?'' He knocked a stack of books off a shelf, then pushed Mr. Weeks in the chest.

Police arrived later that morning and found Roberts near a cycle shop. Roberts told Police that he was being "taken for a fool'' and threatened to slap Mr.

Weeks in front of the officers.

Mr. Warner jailed Roberts for six months for punching Mr. Kelly, and three months for pushing Mr. Weeks. For using threatening behaviour and offensive words, Roberts was jailed for 30 days. The sentences are to run concurrently.