of whiskey and using offensive behaviour, was this week sentenced to three months in prison.

Gregory Dill, of Midland Heights Road, denied stealing three bottles of Dewar's Scotch Whiskey -- each worth $30.31 -- from the Shelly Bay MarketPlace on May 4.

Prosecution witness Rowan Ramotar, who is the assistant floor manager at the Shelly Bay MarketPlace, told the court he saw two men -- one of then Dill -- shopping in the store.

Ramotar said the two men were in the store for about half an hour, but did not have many items in the basket.

He became suspicious and watched them enter the liquor section.

Ramotar said he saw the men put bottles of whiskey into their basket. But when the came through the aisle where he was working he noticed there was no whiskey in the basket.

He said he also noticed that Dill's knapsack, which had been empty when he entered the store, was hanging down as if something heavy was in it and that he could hear bottles.

To avoid causing a scene in the store, Ramotar said he asked Dill to step into the warehouse at the back of the store so that he could see what was in the bag.

Ramotar said Dill did not cooperate and became defensive and aggressive, cursing loudly and telling him to let go of his bag.

When Dill tried to leave the store Ramotar said he blocked the entrance of the store and held on to Dill's bag. Dill continued to curse and tell Ramotar to let go of his bag.

Ramotar said he eventually cornered Dill -- with the assistance of the store's produce manager -- at a bus stop near the store.

Police who were patrolling the area took over and opened Dill's knapsack where they found three bottles of whiskey.

Dill told Police that he had bought the whiskey from the Hamilton MarketPlace.

But he had no proof of purchase.

Acting Magistrate the Wor. Kim White told Dill: "You are a persistent thief with a record that goes back to '73 when you were a child. You have been given every opportunity by this court for a second chance.'' Also noting that theft was a major problem in the community, Mr. White sentenced Dill to three months in prison for stealing the liquor and to a month in prison for offensive behaviour.

The sentences are to run concurrently.