And on a single day of crime he netted more than $2,000 of goods and cash, the court heard.

Randolph Anthony Simons, 33, of Kitchener Close, also told Police of another 24 similar offences he committed involving almost $2,500 of goods, which he asked to be taken into consideration.

Magistrate Edward King remanded him in custody and committed him to the Supreme Court for sentencing.

He said he did not consider his sentencing powers adequate to deal with Simons who had several previous convictions of a similar nature.

"I cannot deal with this here. At least you are helping to clear your debt to society by admitting to these extra 24 offences.'' Junior Crown Counsel Veronica Gordon said the 22 charges to which Simons pleaded guilty involved two separate crime sprees, one in November and the other in December.

Police had never recovered any of it and Simons had admitted selling all the goods and using the cash to buy drugs to satisfy his heroin addiction -- his reason for committing the crimes.

She said that on November 4 he and two friends had a $34.75 breakfast at The Silver Spoon restaurant, Pembroke, but left without paying.

The next day he stole a Bank of Butterfield chequebook from a Sandys residence and began using it to buy food, alcohol, stereo and sports equipment as well as to obtain cash, Ms Gordon said.

That same day he hit Lindo's Market, Devonshire, for $200 of goods and cash; Dismont Robinson, Pembroke, for $500; the Sports Source, Warwick, for $345.75; and M & M International, Pembroke, for $395.

Getting more daring he also headed to St. George's where he obtained cash and stereo equipment to the value of $650 with one of the forged cheques.

Ms Gordon said Simons then took a break from his "shopping''.

The November charge spree was four days later when he unsuccessfully attempted to use another forged cheque for $900 at Bermuda Financial Network Limited, Pembroke.

She said his more recent string of offences began on December 24 when he stole blank cheques from a purse at King Edward Memorial Hospital.

He also made a false document by adding false writing and knowingly and fraudulently uttering a false document bearing false writing.

Ms Gordon said Simons then gave a cheque to another person and advised him to illegally obtain $750 cash from Dismont Robinson with it.

Simons pleaded guilty to all charges against him.

MAN SWORE AT MAGISTRATE KING CTS Man swore at Magistrate King A Sandys man will spend the next two weeks in prison for contempt of court after he swore at a Magistrate this week.

After Magistrate Edward King told Kawesi Simba Wilson he would be remanded into custody for sentencing on dishonesty charges, Wilson said to prison officers: "Man, get me out of here. F*** him.'' And after Mr. King ordered officers to return Wilson to the courtroom and told him he could apologise for the remark, he said: "You got no compassion for me. F*** you, bye.'' Wilson added: "Sorry. You heard me good enough. That's what you want me to say. You just take me down and I'm supposed to lift you up? I told you prison isn't working.'' The outburst came after a plea by the 23-year-old Wilson -- who confessed to being a heroin addict for nine years -- to be released from prison custody.

He was remanded into custody by Senior Magistrate Will Francis on December 21.

It is believed Wilson pleaded guilty in September to several charges related to the theft of cheques from his mother earlier this year.

A social inquiry report by probation officers was not ready and Mr. King ordered Wilson back on remand.

When Mr. King set sentencing for January 28, Wilson exploded.

Magistrate King gave Wilson a chance to apologise, but when there was no reply, he fined Wilson $500 or 14 days in prison in default of payment.

"I'll do the time,'' Wilson replied.