A Pembroke man was sent to the Supreme Court late last week for sentencing after being sentenced to twelve months in prison for stealing a car.

Craig Wilhelm Stapff, 37, of North Shore Road, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to two counts of theft and three counts of breaking and entering .

The court heard that Stapff admitted breaking into the Pie Factory and Grill in Pembroke on February 20 where he stole chicken nuggets, fish nuggets, meat, chocolate, chips and soda worth a total of $500 which he then took to crack houses to sell in order to buy drugs.

He also admitted that, between February 29 and March 1, he cut a hole in a metal barrier at P.J.'s Warehouse Ltd. in Pembroke where he stole $50 in cash and a DVD player worth $550.

On March 9, Stapff broke into the store again, using the same hole he had cut in the metal barrier, and stole $135 cash out of two registers, a VCR valued at $235, and a DVD player valued at $410 all of which he admitted selling in order to buy drugs.

The court then heard that, at about 11 p.m. on March 28, Stapff went to the Mount Hill residence of Andrew James Blaney and took his car without consent.

After Mr. Blaney reported his car stolen, a marked Police car travelling west on North Shore Road saw Stapff in the stolen car travelling east.

The Police turned their car around and pursued Stapff who eventually stopped and was arrested.

Stapff also pleaded guilty to stealing a pair of Masters Mechanic Utility Snips from Gorham's Limited on April 10, which he said were for a scheduled plumbing job.

Before sentencing, Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner heard that Stapff had a long list of previous convictions and had participated unsuccessfully in many addiction programmes.

When asked about stealing the car, Stapff said he found the key after he had been partying with Blaney and had taken the car for a "joy ride''.

Mr. Warner sentenced Stapff to 12 months for stealing the car and said he had been given many opportunities in drug rehabilitation programmes and it was about time that he was dealt with properly for his other offences.

He then committed Stapff to the Supreme Court for sentencing as he needed to be dealt with "more severely than my powers allow me''.