drug rehabilitation programme.

Referring to the programme which Nicholas Harney had been enrolled in, his lawyer Mark Pettingill said Harney "was on the road to recovery and this is the last shot before pulling the rug from under him''.

Mr. Pettingill was speaking after Harney, 27, of Salvation Army's Harbour Light, admitted stealing a laptop from BGA Group of Companies' office on June 5.

The court heard that Harney and another man were doing electrical work at the office that day. The theft was discovered by a company employee the following Monday.

Following Police inquiries Harney admitted he stole the computer and exchanged it for drugs, saying: "I know that I can't undo what happened.'' The unemployed man has convictions for drug-related offences going back to 1991.

Mr. Pettingill pleaded with Acting Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner to be lenient, saying that "it would be nothing more than a backward step to impose a custodial sentence''.

He explained to Mr. Warner that Harney has been enrolled in the Harbour Light Rehabilitation programme and was "very lucky'' to get a place on the programme and has been "performing well''.

Mr. Warner expressed his dissatisfaction with rehab programmes, suggesting that such programmes become a "cop out''.

But Mr. Pettingill said: "I am not trying to hoodwink the court.'' He also added that "this is a young man who doesn't want to go to jail''.

After completing his submission, Mr. Pettingill said Harney intended to make restitution through his employment obtained from the Salvation Army and offered to pay Harney's fines.

Mr. Warner responded: "Are you prepared to serve the time as well?''. At this point laughter erupted in the court.

The magistrate imposed a nine-month suspended prison sentence, but warned Harney: "If you come before this court within the next two years, the nine-month suspended sentence can be activated.''