being hauled before the courts nine times for speeding and three times for driving while disqualified in less than a year.

Senior Magistrate Archie Warner said he had every right to send repeat offender Shawn Swainson to prison.

He said the 19-year-old had been given numerous chances, but had blatantly ignored the law, despite last year being given a suspended sentence.

Mr. Warner said: "You have got nine convictions in the year 2000 for speeding and three for driving while disqualified.

"What am I supposed to do with you? I have seen you before.

"Tell me why I should not send you to prison.'' Swainson said he would pay all of his fines and promised not ride again.

But Mr. Warner replied: "You told me that last time. It ain't a case of you not going to ride anymore. You cannot ride -- you are disqualified. You don't even have one explanation for me.

"You young men come here all the time. You complain that we never give you a chance -- look at the amount of chances you have been given.

"It is sad that people like you, because of your stupidity having no regard for society, put yourselves in prison, which is not a place designed for you.

Prison is a place for criminals.

"But the law is the law. You don't seem to care.'' Swainson, who lives with his mother in Talavera Lane, St. George's, and works at Holmes, Williams and Purvey, said he was sorry.

He added: "I do care. I don't want to go to prison. I understand what I have done.'' Mr. Warner ordered he immediately pay previous traffic fines of $390 and a previous fine of $800 for driving while disqualified.

And he fined him an additional $800 for the latest driving while disqualified charge, which dates back to October last year. He has until April 1 to pay that.

But he was also given a six-month suspended prison term, on top of the other suspended sentence he already had, and he was warned that if he failed to pay or broke the law again, he would be sent straight to jail.

Mr. Warner added: "If you come before me again, you are not going to get 30 seconds of talk.''