A vagrant was jailed for nine months after he laughingly told a court how he broke into a boat after finding the key.

Norton Thomas, 54, couldn?t stop chuckling on Tuesday as he told Magistrates? Court how he spotted the key last week as he walked along the dock at Crow Lane Harbour.

He said he put it in his pocket so it wouldn?t be stolen but then boarded the vessel, , and used the toilet.

?When I went there I didn?t see anybody inside,? he said, before adding that he returned to the vessel the next day to give the key to the owner, James Boyce, of Dock Hill, Devonshire.

?The owner was there,? he laughed. ?He said I put some dirt on his carpet. The Police took me to Hamilton and kept me there for a week.?

Thomas, of Moongate Lane, Paget, pleaded guilty to breaking and entering the boat and theft of the key.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner asked him why he went on board.

?Just to have a look in it,? he answered, giggling again. ?I apologise. I didn?t mean to bring this out in the open.?

?I?m sure you didn?t,? replied Mr Warner. ?I?m glad you find this funny. Over the last year or 18 months you have come before me on more than one occasion for this similar foolishness; going into people?s properties without permission, to sleep there.

?Clearly you are sleeping or using people?s boats as a home. I have warned you. I have given you a conditional discharge.

?I have dealt with you leniently on more than one occasion.

?You have told me you haven?t got anywhere to live.

?I have made it clear that you cannot invade people?s property and live on it and treat it as you like.

?If you don?t have anywhere to live, that?s unfortunate.

?I haven?t got the answers. However, I have told you how you cannot behave in this society.?