Getting caught red-handed stealing seven shirts and five pairs of pants will cost a heroin addict one year in prison.

Germal Dennis Williams at first stonewalled Police on whether he stole the clothes from Connections on Court Street on September 5.

But he quickly admitted the deed after Police showed him a videotape -- in which he was the only star.

Williams was sentenced to 12 months in prison beginning on Friday by Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner.

The sentence is effectively a concurrent sentence to an 18 month sentence he is already serving.

Mr. Warner heard that Connections boutique owner Gary Augustus dead-bolted the store after midnight that day but was contacted by his security company around 4.45 a.m. because an alarm had been tripped.

Crown counsel Wayne Caines said Police launched an investigation and checked the security tape to see Williams entering the store, grabbing the clothes from racks and departing.

The 2.40 a.m. heist took only 20 seconds. The clothes cost a total of $730.

Williams was arrested on Court Street on September 19 but refused to answer any questions.

He was later bailed and then arrested on another matter early in October and then saw the tape.

Mr. Caines said: "Mr. Williams made a full confession to kicking the door in and stealing the clothes. He told Police he sold the items to a man to support his drug addiction, namely heroin.

"When he was charged at Hamilton Police Station Mr. Williams said under caution `guilty as charged', Your Worship,'' Mr. Caines added.

Duty counsel Veronica Daley said while Williams "appreciates'' his "extensive'' criminal history, she said he had enrolled himself in a drug rehabilitation programme.

Williams has been incarcerated on an 18-month sentence for stealing charges since last month.

Ms Daley added: "He would like for me to convey to the court that he will continue undergoing the counselling and wants to return to being a productive citizen.

"He made a full confession and has pleaded guilty at the earliest possible moment,'' she concluded.