A 20-year-old man who claimed he had retired from the Bermuda Regiment was yesterday sentenced to three months in prison for repeatedly failing to show up for duty.

Earl Sidon Codrington, of Khyber Pass, Warwick, appeared in Magistrates' Court yesterday for the second time this week for refusing to rejoin the Bermuda Regiment.

He told the court on Tuesday after pleading not guilty: "I have retired, I am not going back to the Bermuda Regiment for the rest of my life. They don't represent what I stand for."

He continued: "It stands for the evil of this world and for those who have been against my people for a long time. It ain't got nothing for me."

Lawyer Larry Scott, who was retained by Codrington on Tuesday night and is appealing the sentence, told the court yesterday that "because of increasing objections by young Regiment soldiers, the army will have to handle the decision of how it will deal with this situation."

Mr. Scott also told the court that it should not sentence Codrington until the courts deal with another objector, Magnus Henagulph's trial first.

Henagulph reported to the Bermuda Regiment in January but then went on hunger strike saying he was a conscientious objector. His case remains before the Supreme Court.

Mr. Scott told the court that his client served in the army for a while and has even travelled overseas on duty.

Mr. Greaves said: "He didn't serve, he went. He turned up, he didn't serve."

Mr. Scott then said: "He has had his free trip at the taxpayer's expense."

Just then, Codrington broke his silence and chimed in: "And a free disease too."

Mr. Scott told Greaves that what Codrington did was not a criminal act and that it should not be handled as one.

He also said that only after Henagulph's matter has been settled, should they deal with Codrington's case.

Crown counsel Wayne Caines told the court that Codrington was a "lazy man who has failed to serve his country".

He also told the court that Codrington was given a three month prison sentence suspended for 26 months on December 6, 2001. On January 22 he skipped the army and was fined. He also said that on March 5 he was fined for disobedience, and on April 1, he was given extra duty for an improper shave.

Mr. Caines said the only option for Codrington was imprisonment for three months for breaking his suspension. He also said that after he has served his term, he should be required to return to the army.

"That's the law we live by," the Bermuda Regiment officer said.

Mr. Greaves handed Codrington a three month sentence to be served in jail and told Mr. Scott that the best thing he could do for his client was to apply for a stay on the sentence and bail.