Magistrate tells drug addict to sor out his life
after he admitted a string of burglaries in Hamilton.
The Wor. Cheryl-Ann Mapp told Gregory Nolan, 31 of Friswell's Hill to take the 12 months of incarceration to "figure out who you are and what you want in life''.
In December Nolan pleaded guilty to breaking into the Bombay Bicycle Club, Burrows Lightbourn Ltd., Kriss Kross Records and Reeves Carpets.
He stole more than $2,000 worth of property from three of the businesses and a car from Burnaby Street.
And he asked that four similar offences be taken into consideration. Shortly before 6.30 p.m. on December 19, Police saw Nolan walking on Dundonald Street, carrying a black plastic bag.
When Police tried to stop Nolan to question him he ran off, but was later caught.
The bag contained frozen food, 17 compact discs, and a small ornament-type bicycle.
Nolan told Police he had broken into Bombay Cycle Club and Kriss Cross records looking for money.
He also told Police that he entered Burrows Lightbourn through a side door after 5 p.m. on November 14.
After an unsuccessful attempt to open the safe, Nolan left the store and stole a car parked on Burnaby Street with the keys in the ignition.
He then picked up another person and they returned to Burrows Lightbourn safe breaking tools.
Still unable to open the safe, they removed it along with bottles of rum, beer, and whiskey.
Nolan and his accomplice, who was not before the court, later removed more than $1,000 from the safe and abandoned the stolen car near the Bermuda College's Roberts Avenue campus.
Prosecutor Sgt. Earl Kirby said the safe was later recovered in unrepairable condition.
He also said that the owner of the car reported that he had to pay $100 for damages to his vehicle.
Nolan was also caught trying to steal from Reeves Carpet in October, where he was found standing on the second floor of the building.
Nothing was stolen from the building but there was $300 worth of damages to the store door.
The court also heard that Nolan had a history of dishonesty dating back to 1986.
Mrs. Mapp, who also examined a social inquiry report, told Nolan: "You obviously have a drug problem which has been quite known.
"You left Bermuda for a while and got away from the company that seemed to get you into this. However you can try and get anywhere but you can never get away from yourself and your problems.
"You have made some bad choices in the past and you have yet to come to the reality that you have too much to consider. Your history of dishonesty is all rooted to one thing, your drug problem.''