A 21-year-old yesterday pleaded guilty to stealing a motorcycle and being in possession of the stolen property ¿ but only after Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner had to explain what stealing meant.

John William O'Connor, of Sofar Lane, St. George's, was charged in Magistrates' Court with taking a motorcycle for use by himself or others and being in possession of goods that were known to be stolen on January 19.

O'Connor initially pleaded guilty to being in possession of the stolen bike, but refused to admit he had stolen the black cycle.

He said he only got on the bike because it was on the side of the road and he needed to get home. O'Connor explained: "The bike was all hotwired so I know it had been stolen, but I needed to get home."

After Mr. Warner explained it did not matter where the bike was taken — from the side of the road or from the owner — it was stealing, O'Connor pleaded guilty.

The black Malaguti cycle was reported missing by Brandon Jamal Smith on January 9 and at 2.45 a.m. On January 19, a Police car spotted O'Connor on the bike, as he drove East on the Causeway in St. George's.

Officers drove-up behind O'Connor and grew suspicious when he kept looking back at them. When they sounded the sirens, O'Connor took-off.

After a chase which caused the Police car to hit the roundabout near the airport, O'Connor said: "I didn't know why those guys were following me."

Yesterday in court, O'Connor, who works at Ricky's Barber Shop on North Shore Road, said he had been doing well since being on probation and felt badly about his actions.

Mr. Warner then fined him $500 for stealing the bike, $500 for possession of a stolen bike, gave him ten demerits on his licence and warned him about the driving.

He said: "You have got ten demerits and if you get 12 then you will be disqualified from driving. Your probation will continue."