The victim of a drug-addicted thief yesterday told Supreme Court prisoners should pay for their own rehabilitation.

And Lines Food and Liquor owner Richard Powell said they should also be made to pay compensation to their victims out of the money they earned in jail.

Mr. Powell was speaking during the sentencing of repeat offender Marcel Sheppard who received two years probation during which time he will enter a Salvation Army drug rehabilitation programme in Canada.

Supreme Court had heard 35-year-old Sheppard went on a two day crime spree 12 days after being released from prison.

He pleaded guilty in September to stealing $80 from Burrows Lightbourne Ltd.

and $160 from Lines Food and Liquor between September 19 and 20.

While committing those crimes he also assaulted a clerk and Mr. Powell.

Mr. Powell told the court he felt prisoners should be made to pay compensation to their victims from whatever earnings they received in prison.

"If they were made to do without money in prison, they would not be in such a hurry to return there.'' And Mr. Powell said prisoners should pay part or all of their way through rehabilitation -- even if it was just for the airline ticket.

"I feel prisoners should be made to earn their rehabilitation. They do not deserve to partake in rehabilitation unless they are punished first.'' This punishment, he explained, was to go without the money they earned working in prison.

Chief Justice Austin Ward thanked Mr. Powell when he was finished for setting a "good precedent'' in his court.

"Victims must know they have the right to be heard. Justice must be seen even-handed and the views of victims should always be put in the scales.'' Sheppard's lawyer Victoria Pearman said she had arranged for her client to enter a rehabilitation centre in Ontario on March 15.

She said he would be accompanied there by a counsellor from the National Drug Commission.

The NDC had also agreed to sponsor his treatment while his sister had offered to pay for the counsellor's and his ticket there, she added.

Treatment would take about a year, she continued, after which Sheppard would enter a local programme where he would also start work. Then he could compensate Mr. Powell, she suggested.

Mr. Justice Ward said Sheppard deserved to enter the programme as it "may be his last chance to become a productive citizen''.

But he would remain in prison until time came for him to go to Canada, continued the judge, as Sheppard could not function effectively in society in his present state.

When Sheppard returned he would enter a local after-care programme where he would begin working and repay Mr. Powell, added Mr. Justice Ward.

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