A dramatic scene played out in Magistrates Court yesterday after a 20-year-old was sentenced to three years in prison for breach of probation.

Leroy Simons threw a chair at his father and had to be physically restrained by Police.

A woman claiming to be the mother of his child then started screaming incoherently and made a lunge for Simons' father she was escorted out of the courtroom by officers.

Both blamed the man's father for the prison sentence ordered by Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner.

Simons, of no fixed abode, received three years' probation last year for 16 counts of stealing and dishonesty. One of the terms of his probation was that he was not allowed to leave the Country.

Yesterday, Simons told the court that he flew to England at the beginning of March after his father bought him a ticket to go to a "Christian school" there.

He said he agreed as people here were after him and he feared for his life, but soon discovered his father had actually enrolled him in a drug rehabilitation programme.

"I don't do cocaine or heroin and I hardly drink," Simons told Mr. Warner. "My father told me that I was going to England to further my education but it wasn't even a school.

"There was no point me staying there because it was all about drugs and alcohol and I don't have a problem."

Simons said he stayed at the facility for a little more than a week before attempting to fly home. When he got to Gatwick Airport he discovered that he had travelled to the UK on a one-way ticket.

"I was stuck and I had no money," he said. "My father would not pay for a ticket to get me home so I was forced to live on the streets for over a month. He eventually bought me a ticket and I got home [Tuesday]."

His father stood and told the court he had to send his son away for his family's safety.

"I am constantly in fear because of him and the people he associates with," he said. "There are people out to get him and I needed to do my part to protect myself and my family so, even though I knew his probation was not complete, I made this arrangement."

Said Mr. Warner to Simons: "You have chosen to do what you want. If you had stayed at the facility you would not be here today. I am going to impose a three-year prison sentence starting today."

Simons insisted prison wasn't safe because there were people there who "are out to get me".

Mr. Warner replied: "Well if you are not safe in prison and you are not safe out here what should I do with you?"

Before Simons could reply the woman claiming to be the mother of his child screamed: "You can't do that to him. This is not his fault. It is all his daddy's fault. Who is going to take care of his child? Who is going to help me?"

A Police officer began to escort Simons from the courtroom but he broke free and hurled a chair across the court in the direction of his father. The woman then began screaming incoherently. She attempted to lunge at Simon's father but was restrained and escorted outside.