A 41-year-old drug addict was jailed for four years yesterday after she admitted committing a string of forgery and fraud charges totalling more than $8,000.

Sharon Caines, of no fixed abode, told Supreme Court she was sorry for what she had done and said she knew she needed help to kick her long-term drug habit.

The court heard how, between November last year and March of this year, she committed 15 offences of forgery, fraud and handing over cheques under false pretences, amounting to $4,335.

Some of those charges related to two incidents at branches of the Calypso clothes store in Dockyard and at the Sonesta Beach Resort in Southampton during the middle of March, where Caines was alleged to have purchased hundreds of dollars worth of clothing under the name of Lenora Caines.

But she also cashed cheques at the Bank of Bermuda, Bank of Butterfield and Gibbons Deposit Company in the names of Chaydora Caines and her mother Blanche Jones.

Yesterday she asked for ten similar offences, which amounted to about $3,835, to be taken into account also.

The court heard that Caines had a number of similar convictions dating as far back as 1978 and was last released from prison in April, 1999.

She said: "I am sorry for what I have done. When I was released in April I was given the chance to get my own apartment.'' She said at that time she was determined to stay away from crime but started a relationship with a drug addict and found that she was being surrounded by people who used drugs again.

She added: "I am sorry for what I have done. I know I need help as far as my addiction is. I was doing all right until this last time.'' Chief Justice Austin Ward jailed Caines for four years on each of the counts, to run concurrently, and said: "I suspect she lacks the resolve necessary for change. The public must be protected.''