A vagrant was released from Police custody despite pleading guilty yesterday in Magistrates' Court to begging.

Keith Edward Peniston was arrested on Friday for begging on Front Street.

The complainant ? a tourist ? told officers the defendant asked him for some money but he refused to give him any. He turned to walk away when Peniston touched his arm.

The defendant was observed asking a few other people for money and then was arrested.

Peniston told Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo: "I just needed a cup of coffee, sir."

Peniston was released after Mr. Tokunbo decided there was nothing that could be done for him.

Magistrate orders social inquiry report

A Pembroke man charged with possession of cannabis admitted yesterday that he needed help to kick his drug habit.

Clive Khio Taylor, 26, of Canal Road, pleaded guilty to possessing 5.52 grams of cannabis which he claimed was for personal use.

He was arrested on January 29 on Front Street near the Emporium Building when officers were searching people under the Criminal Code.

The court heard Taylor had previous narcotics convictions including cocaine and heroin. The defendant told the court he had stopped using "all the other stuff" and had eased up on smoking cannabis.

"I really try to stop this stuff and I don't want to trouble anyone," he said.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo said: "You can use the softer stuff but it's against the law."

Taylor told the court that giving him a fine doesn't help his habit and admitted he needed help.

Mr. Tokunbo ordered social inquiry and drug reports.

The defendant was bailed in the amount of $2,000 with one surety. He will appear before the court on September 8.

A man who admitted attempting to stealing bike parts received an automatic 45-day prison sentence in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner sentenced Malcolm Edward Symonds, 44, of Bean Dale, Pembroke to 45 days imprisonment for stealing a brand new Honda Scoopy. The court heard Symonds stole the bike between October 24 and November 27.

The complainant told officers he parked the new blue Scoopy at his place of employment and when he returned the bike was gone.

A member of the public notified the Police when he saw a man banging a screwdriver into the ignition of the bike. The bike was parked between a boat and trees.

Symonds tried to run but was cautioned and arrested, and told Police: "I didn't steal the bike. I was just taking the parts."

Symonds appeared happy with his sentence, saying to Mr. Warner: "That's a well-rounded package."

A Pembroke man pleaded not guilty to three charges of stealing recently in Magistrates' Court.

Bruce Gibrate Gibbons, of 7 Woodbourne Avenue, was charged with stealing from Bierman's Concrete Products in Smith's, entering the property with the intent to steal and causing unlawful damage to a garage door on July 22.

Gibbons was bailed in the amount of $2,000 with one surety. His trial takes place on October 30.

A Hamilton Parish man spent last night on remand at Westgate and will be tried today on five charges ? including assaulting an officer ? resulting from an arrest on Friday.

Robert Reginald Smith, 55, of Summit View Drive, denied assaulting P.c. Glasford, violently resisting arrest, giving a false name ? that of Robert Butterfield ? destroying a pair of sunglasses property of the Bermuda Police Service valued at $60 and using offensive language.

Smith allegedly said to the arresting officer: "Wait until I see you again. I will kill you!"