A drug addict who obtained $1,755 worth of alcohol from Gosling Brothers by pretending to work for a restaurant was jailed for a year on Monday. Jay Chantez Ming, 35, of Middle Road, Paget, made numerous visits to the company’s Dundonald Street and Queen Street stores in Hamilton over a two-week period last month.

He posed as an employee of Greg’s Steakhouse and picked up drinks supposedly for the restaurant including champagne, rum, vodka, whisky and brandy. Prosecutor Nicole Smith told Magistrates’ Court that he was finally arrested on Saturday after staff became suspicious of his behaviour. Checks with the restaurant revealed that he worked there for three weeks as a chef but was fired and had no authority to collect goods on its behalf.

Ming, who has previous convictions for dishonesty, pleaded guilty to seven charges of unlawfully obtaining liquor by false pretences.

He told the court that drugs fuelled the crime spree. “I’m not blaming it entirely on the drugs because I have choices to make as well,” he said. “The courts have given me many opportunities.

“It’s not like I like the drugs; it’s that the drugs have a pull on me. I was messing with cocaine since I was a little boy, 15 years old. I don’t blame no one. I don’t blame the system.”

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner said: “You said it all. You chose the drugs over everything.”

He jailed Ming for 12 months for each charge, the sentences to run concurrently, followed by three years probation, including a drug treatment programme.