A homeless man caught red-handed with crack cocaine has been jailed.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner gave Ronald Jeffries 30 days inside after the defendant admitted possessing a small amount of the Class A drug and a drug pipe on July 11, last year.

But the magistrate raised doubts about how suitable his court was to deal with defendants with mental health problems, and suggested a specialist court might be needed to help such defendants.

The court heard Police were patrolling Parsons Road, Pembroke, when they saw the defendant acting suspiciously as he walked towards the Salvation Army homeless shelter.

Jeffries, 58, was searched and appeared to be carrying a white rock-like material, later confirmed to be 0.06 grams of crack cocaine, between his thumb and index finger.

A glass bottle with a clear hose coming out of the middle was later recovered, but tests showed no signs of a controlled drug inside.

Jeffries told the court he had found the drug and pipe.

Mr. Warner said Jeffries walked up and down Reid Street begging every day, and asked whether he used that money to buy cocaine. The defendant, who the court heard was receiving medication from Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute, said he bought shoes and food with the cash.

Mr. Warner, who earlier said that the case highlighted the need for a specialist mental health court, told the defendant he ?looked a bit ragged?, before saying he should clean himself up in jail.