to three years in prison.

Dean Anthony O'Brien, 36, pleaded guilty to the charge of breaking into a woman's house on November 20 less than a month after he was released from Westgate after serving six months for a similar charge.

It was revealed in court that O'Brien, unemployed and of no fixed abode, had also served nine months in 1997 for breaking into another residence -- and he blamed his cocaine addiction for his repeat offences.

His illustrious criminal history dates back to 1982 when he made his first appearance in Magistrates Court and was convicted for possessing marijuana.

Within two years he had graduated to breaking into and stealing from other people's houses -- for which he has now served several jail sentences.

Chief Justice Austin Ward said a longer jail stint was obviously needed to get the message through to O'Brien.

"It is clear that the nine months you got last year and the nine months you were sentenced to this year has not helped you work out what is right and what is wrong.

"When you get nine months and you only do six months they don't have time to treat you for your addiction, to help you.

"So that is what I'm going to do -- make sure you're kept in there for long enough to walk out a better man.'' He ruled that O'Brien be treated for his drug addiction while in prison with mandatory counselling to continue after his release. "They are going to train you to be a productive citizen but you have to help yourself change your way of thinking as well,'' he said.

"That way you won't be able to fall back by the wayside. That would be a waste of a human life.

"If you didn't get this treatment that would also be a waste since you would very likely spend a great proportion of the rest of your life in prison.'' Crown Counsel Charmaine Smith said O'Brien was arrested after a member of the public called Police when he spotted O'Brien smash a window of a Warwick residence at about 12.30 p.m. on November 20.

She said it seemed O'Brien was even beyond caring if he was seen committing the crime since he had done it openly in broad daylight.

O'Brien said he knew what he did was wrong and he was sorry.

But he thought it was unfair he was being sentenced in Supreme Court, with its stronger sentencing powers, since he was only charged with a single offence.

WOMAN GUILTY OF THEFT CTS Woman guilty of theft A 23-year-old Devonshire woman appeared in Magistrates' Court last week charged with three counts of theft and one count of driving without a licence.

Laurell Steede, of Long Ridge Pass, pleaded guilty to all four charges.

Junior Crown counsel Veronica Gordon described how, on December 2 of last year, Steede was observed by an off-duty Police officer in Knick Knack store putting items into her bag without paying.

When the officer demanded to see what was in her bag, Steede handed it over and ran off, Ms Gordon said.

Inside were found, among other things, a pair of jeans from The English Sports Shop, a skirt from Smith's, and two baby carriers and a toaster from Knick Knack.

Steede was later arrested by Police.

Acting Senior Magistrate Edward King also heard how Steede had been caught driving without a licence in 1996.

She was fined $100 for this offence.

But he ordered a social inquiry report for the stealing offences and ordered Steede to return to court on February 12 for sentencing.

She was bailed in the sum of $350.