A career criminal and cocaine addict was jailed for two years after failing the Drug Court treatment programme.

Ernest Smith, 40, of Kilderry Lane, Devonshire, was convicted of two counts of breaking and entering as well as theft and wilful damage from last year but also has a string of convictions dating back more than 20 years.

Smith was put in the alternatives to incarceration (ATI) programme following the convictions last March, but he consistently failed to meet the requirements of the programme by missing appointments, continuing to take cocaine and failing to appear at court.

But even in calling for a jail-term on Thursday, Crown counsel Wayne Caines told the Supreme Court that Smith had been trying hard to meet the programme's requirements and has had a respectful and polite attitude in his dealings with case workers and magistrates.

"The Drug Court never terminate a programme until every avenue has been explored," said Mr. Caines. "He worked hard, but like so many of us, he succumbed to temptation."

Mr. Caines then read out Smith's "prodigious criminal history", which included almost annual thefts, breaking and entering offences, forgery and drugs dating back to the early 1980s.

The court was also told of an incident of indecent exposure - the only criminal offence committed since Smith entered the Drug Court programme last year - when the addict ran naked through Somerset claiming to have snakes in his hair.

The court was then told he suffers from drug induced psychosis.

Drug court case worker, Noel Hayward, told the court: "Mr. Smith is a very respectful man and he doesn't cause trouble.

"But Mr. Smith needs to be more accountable to Mr. Smith and he needs treatment in regard to his mental health."

Drug court coordinator Calvin Ming then said, if Smith were to be jailed, psychologists and psychiatrists within the prison service would be able to monitor his progress.

In mitigation, a tearful Smith, who was unrepresented, told the court: "I thought I could make it (through the programme) and I tried to the best of my ability.

"I confessed about other crimes to the Police as a way of trying to make amends. But I guess I just didn't try hard enough.

"I'd just like to say that I am glad that I didn't commit any more offences while I was on the programme. I'm sorry about my relapses, I'd like one more chance to work with a psychiatrist."

In sentencing Smith to two years in jail, Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons said: "You have a poor record and resort to criminality regularly, no doubt, to support your drug habit.

"But I was quite impressed with what you said and I think you are honest and that you can be helped."

He was ordered to complete a year-long treatment programme in prison but was told if he is successful than he would be released on licence for a year, subject to regular drug tests.

Even if he fails the programme and sits out his two years in jail, he was told he will still be on probation for the next 12 months after his release.