unpaid fines, incomplete community service and traffic offences.

Rudell Valentin Pitcher, of Wellington Slip Road, escaped a jail sentence for only completing 27 of 250 hours of community service on a 1997 conviction for breaking and entering the St. David's Esso Station and stealing cigarettes and cash.

Probation Services recommended to Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner that the 23-year-old's remaining service hours be revoked -- opening the chance for him to be jailed.

But Mr. Warner handed down a six-month sentence and suspended it for one year, and referring to the unpaid fines, added: "But I think you're going to Westgate tonight anyway, if you don't pay these fines.'' He added: "When you get fines you don't pay, when you're summoned you don't come to court, so when we got you, we kept you. I could send you to Westgate for this.'' Pitcher denied telling probation officers he did not have time to complete the service and said he had been homeless for part of the last three years.

He also pleaded guilty to riding without a licence on March 27, riding without due care and without third party insurance, for which he was fined $100, $250 and $250 respectively.

But $1,500 in fines for two traffic offences in 1997 were still outstanding when he appeared before Mr. Warner.

Pitcher responded "that's got to be a mistake'', when Mr. Warner said there was a $650 fine for impaired driving, $200 for not having insurance, $50 for running a stop sign and $600 for two charges of not having a driver's licence.

Mr. Warner had Pitcher held by Police and brought back in the afternoon so that a probation officer could explain the department's position on his case.

Pitcher told the Court: "I never got a letter or a summons. I never said I wouldn't have enough time (to complete his community service).''