Chief Justice the Hon. Mr. Austin Ward this week blasted mothers who turn a blind eye to their sons' criminal activities.

"Mothers never want to hear anything bad about their sons. They are the cause of some of society's problems,'' he said before sending a 22-year-old man, who broke into Somerset Cricket Club and struck an elderly man with a crowbar, to prison for two years.

Macray Angelo Bulford, of Beacon Hill, Sandys, pleaded guilty to breaking into the club on February 23 with intent to commit a robbery, assaulting with intent to rob, and assaulting with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The court heard that bartender Kenneth Caesar had finished counting the day's takings, around 11.30 p.m. that day, and deposited it in the safe.

Caesar, who was with his friends Albert Darrell and Milton Lewis, secured the club's exterior doors and windows and began counting his tips when he noticed a man -- Bulford -- standing at the bar room door shouting and demanding money.

Bulford, whose nose and mouth were covered by a white mask, rushed toward Darrell and Lewis, swinging a crowbar.

Lewis picked up a bar stool to ward him off while Darrell, 69, joined in to stop Bulford.

Crown counsel Miss Charlene Scott said a struggle ensued and Darrell suffered abrasions to his left forearm when Bulford struck him on his left arm and his left-side rib cage.

Bulford, who had his mask pulled away, escaped through a bathroom window. But Caesar -- who knew Bulford since he was a young boy -- recognised him.

Miss Scott asked the Chief Justice to impose a two-to-three-year prison sentence which she said was the norm for an assault with intent to rob offence.

But Bulford's lawyer Mr. Mark Pettingill argued that his client committed the offences while he was depressed and drunk.

He said Bulford never intended to injure Darrell.

In fact, Mr. Pettingill added, Bulford showed immediate remorse and told his mother what he had done.

He also noted that Bulford had fully cooperated with Police and pleaded guilty to the offences.

"This was not the action of a sober man,'' Mr. Pettingill said. "Now he is fully recognisant of the detrimental effects of alcohol, particularly when one is feeling depressed.

"The fact that Bulford told his mother what he had done and showed great remorse shows a glimmer of hope and that he is not one to be feared.'' Stressing that he did not want to make light of the assault offence, Mr.

Pettingill said Bulford was "recognisant of this type of behaviour and did not want to go down that road''.

Mr. Pettingill asked the Chief Justice to impose a suspended sentence or a sentence at the "lower end of the scale'' and to take into account some four months Bulford has spent in prison on remand. He also noted that Bulford was the father of two children and a "big help'' to his mother.

"It will be unfortunate given the nature of the offence if his union and efforts to support his children are suspended for two or three years,'' he said, adding that Bulford had the support of his family.

"His mother has referred to him as a big help at home and she says she has had no problems with him.'' But the Chief Justice said: "This may be the problem in Bermuda. Mothers never want to hear anything bad about their sons. They are the cause of some of society's problems.

"Generally mothers know a lot more than they are prepared to say about their sons. They know of their sons wrongdoings and condone it.

"There are lots of mothers who accept gifts from their sons which they must know is drug related.'' While agreeing in general with the Chief Justice, Mr. Pettingill said such statements were not relevant to Bulford's case. And he said he did not know if the type of mothers the Chief Justice was talking about were unique to Bermuda.

After hearing an apology from Bulford and taking into account Mr. Pettingill's mitigating statements, the Chief Justice sentenced Bulford to 18 months in prison for the breaking and entering charge, two years for assault with intent to rob, and a year for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The sentences were to run concurrently.

CHIEF JUSTICE -- "Mothers never want to hear anything bad about their sons.

They are the cause of some of society's problems. Generally mothers know a lot more than they are prepared to say about their sons. They know of their sons' wrongdoings and condone it.''