A heroin user broke into his ex-partner?s home to steal and destroy electrical equipment ? before driving off in her car.

Keith McPherson admitted stealing computer equipment, a DVD player and a tool set from Carla Smith during the Halowe?en wrecking spree. Crown counsel Paula Tyndale said the defendant broke into her house, at Princess Estate Road, Pembroke, on October 31.

The couple had been in a relationship for five years, the court heard, but it recently ended.

McPherson entered the property through a closed but unlocked door and damaged a 31-inch television, a 15-inch computer monitor and a 27-inch television, worth a combined value of more than $1,000. The court was told he left with a PlayStation games system, a DVD player, a 150-piece tool set and a bolt lock, then he drove off in the complainant?s Mitsubishi car.

He was later arrested by Police on suspicion of breaking.

The defendant, now living at Spice Hill Road, Warwick, said he had a row with the complainant over his drug use.

He said he was now trying to get treatment for his problem.

He said he threw a bottle of water against a wall at his former partner?s house, and that was how a television was damaged.

?I admit I was carrying on in a bad manner. Now I want to deal with my problem. I blame myself ? not the drugs.?

McPherson, 32, admitted charges of breaking and entering, destroying electrical equipment and taking a car.

Senior magistrate Archibald Warner called for a social inquiry report , and adjourned the case until December 8.

He gave the defendant $2,000 bail, but warned him to stay away from his ex partner?s house.

Police find machete in car boot

Police discovered a machete in the boot of a car after stopping it in Front Street, a court has been told.

The bladed weapon was found after a Police officer asked if he could carry out a search of the black Rover car when it was pulled over near the junction of Front Street and Court Street on August 27.

The driver Landro McCoy Minors, 21, was the only occupant of the car and he did not object to the car being searched, according to Det. Con. Nigel Gittens when he gave evidence at a trial in Magistrates? Court. He said that around 1.45 a.m. he was on duty with a number of other officers and had reason to stop the car, although this was not explained in court.

?I requested permission (of Minors) to search his motor car and he consented,? said Det. Con. Gittens. ?While conducting a search of the trunk I found a rust covered machete. I asked Minors what he could say about the machete being in the trunk of the car and he said ?I did not even know that it was there?.

?I then told the defendant that it was an offence to have a machete, which is a bladed article, in his possession and that I was arresting him.?

Minors, of Cove Valley, St.George?s, was taken to Hamilton police station and questioned before later being charged with possessing a machete. Also giving evidence in court Police officer P.c. Carlton Jackson, questioned by Crown counsel Oonagh Vaucrosson, corroborated his colleague?s account of how the machete had been discovered in the car boot. Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo adjourned the trial to November 15. Minors? bail was extended to that date.

Teenager changed year on licence sticker

A 19-year-old St. George?s woman pleaded guilty in Magistrates? court on Friday to defacing the licence sticker on her motorcycle.

Alicia Wharms from Anchorage View was spotted by Police who thought it odd that the five in 2005 appeared slightly larger on her sticker than was the norm.

Crown counsel Shakira Dill told the court that it appeared Wharms had simply changed the four to a five with a marker.

She was also fined for not having any third party insurance on the same day of August 25. Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner ordered the young woman to pay $1,000 or default three months in prison for not having insurance and $25 for defacing the sticker.

Wharms asked for time to pay and was given until December 9 to pay the fines.

Drink driver struck a motorcyclist

A 40-year-old expatriate worker was disqualified from driving all vehicles for a year in Magistrates? court for drinking and driving.

Joseph Chan, from High Point Lane in Devonshire, pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence on July 22 this year.

Crown counsel Shakira Dill told the court that Chan was spotted in Devonshire by uniformed Policemen.

She said he turned a corner and struck a motorcyclist and when Police questioned him they smelt alcohol on his breath, noticed his eyes were bloodshot and he was unsteady on his feet.

Chan was fined $1,000 and disqualified from all vehicles for 12 months.

In a separate matter in court Chan?s neighbour, Vashon Martin, appeared briefly on a charge of unlawful assault.

The incident allegedly occurred on October 6 this year in Hamilton Parish.

Vashon pleaded not guilty and the matter was set aside for trial on January 27.

He was released on $1,000 bail and was represented by Richard Horseman in court.