who stole food for his family because he could not find work.

Deawud Muhammed, 45, of Swan's Bay Hill, Pembroke, also pleaded guilty to trying to break into Gosling Brothers' Black Seal clothing store on Front Street with a hatchet where he intended to steal some bottles of rum in a display case.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Anthony Mouchette told the court that on November 2, Police were called to the Warwick Shell Gas Station where they found Muhammed talking to the store manager.

The man claimed Muhammed had been shoplifting and when the officers searched his bag they found six packages of codfish and margarine.

Muhammed later admitted to Police that he had stolen some of the codfish from the gas station and the rest of it from the Garden Market.

In separate evidence, Sgt. Mouchette said Muhammed was arrested on November 29 after an off duty Police officer saw him trying to break into Gosling's clothing store with a hatchet.

Muhammed was trying to break open a display cabinet containing bottles of rum when the officer heard the banging and nabbed him.

When interviewed, Muhammed admitted trying to break into the store and damaging the cabinet. He said he wanted to drink the liquor because he was depressed at being out of work.

Muhammed's lawyer Julianna Jack asked for a social inquiry report as her client had been out of work since losing his job as a baker at the Belmont Hotel in February.

He had been unable to find work which had caused him and his family financial and emotional hardship as they had received bills and an eviction notice.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis ordered a social inquiry report for the man and told him to return to court on January 27.

`NASTY PIECE OF WORK' CTS `Nasty piece of work' A 16-year-old man who stole $25 from a 13-year-old grocery packer and then beat him up appeared in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis ordered a social inquiry report for Maurice Christopher of Happy Valley Road, Pembroke.

Christopher was charged with stealing the cash and beating up the packer on October 29 while concerned with another person who was not before the court.

The victim, a high school student, went to work at Lindo's Market Limited where he was told there were two people hanging around outside the store asking packers for money.

Later, when he was returning to the store after putting groceries in a woman's car, he was confronted by the two people who asked for money.

He refused to give them any and went back inside the store.

But when he left to go home on his pedal bike the two people followed him on their bikes and when he got to South Road they made him stop and asked him for money again.

The victim again refused and Christopher grabbed him and put his hand over his mouth when he started to scream for help.

Meanwhile, the accomplice unclipped the packer's waist pouch containing the money. Christopher then punched him and the two attackers fled.

The packer made his way home and his parents reported the incident to Police who later searched Christopher's home where they found the clothes the victim said one of the thieves had been wearing. Christopher was later arrested and admitted committing the offences.

Mr. Francis said he regarded the offences as being very serious and called the crime "a real nasty piece of work''.

"This young man was working to earn some money and then you fellows come along and waylay him, rough him up and take his money.'' He then told Christopher to return to court on January 27 when the social inquiry report is expected to be ready.