After a lengthy debate concerning an habitual housebreaker, a Supreme Court judge remanded the man in custody with mental health reports and a social inquiry to follow.

Cyril Samuel Tucker, 60, of no fixed abode was convicted in Magistrates' Court on June 24 for breaking into a Smith's home on May 17. Yesterday appeared in Supreme Court for sentencing.

But Assistant Justice Archibald Warner said Tucker had continuously committed the same crime over and over again and had been in need of help for years.

"This man must think he owns houses and schools especially houses in Smith's," Mr. Warner said.

He did not seem to think that the Supreme Court was the proper place for the matter to be dealt with and Tucker's lawyer, Victoria Pearman, said the authority of the court had not done her client any good in the past.

"Giving him a fine, putting him in jail for three months - it just doesn't seem to work," she said.

Both Ms Pearman and Crown counsel Shakira Dill agreed that reports on the mental health of Tucker were in order but a debate over what was the correct way of dealing with the man while the reports were being processed was more difficult to decide.

When questioned about the incident in court yesterday, Tucker denied breaking into the house.

"It wasn't me, I'm not eight feet tall, that boy was eight feet tall, the woman said he was eight feet tall," he said. "I suggest I get a job."

He also said that he had been living with his grandmother for the past two weeks although Mr. Warner reminded him that he had been in prison during that time.

Mr. Warner said that because Tucker did not have a home it would be difficult to find him once the reports were finished, which could take at least three months.

"They're not going to find him again until he claims someone's house again," Mr. Warner said.

"There seems to be no place for people like this and in such a sophisticated society like Bermuda. And there are more people like him and the only agency (St. Brendan's) here to help him has already kicked him out."

"This is a social matter rather than a criminal matter, even though the public safety is of my concern," he added.

"This is an unsatisfactory situation that has been going on for years and the authorities don't seem to be worried," Mr. Warner said after remanding Tucker in custody until the September arraignment session.