Soldiers who failed to report for duty in the wake of Hurricane Fabian were branded "a disgrace" in a public court yesterday.

But Regiment commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Eddie Lamb expressed disappointment that only one of the eight soldiers appearing at Magistrates' Court was sent directly to prison - with the other seven were handed only suspended sentences.

John Paul Samuels, 21, of Hamilton, was jailed for three months after an earlier suspended sentence, passed in July after failing to report on nine separate occasions, was activated by Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves.

But Francoise Belloquet, 21, of Sandys, Kah-Li Floyd Curtis, 23, of Devonshire, Vance Donavan Hill, 22, of Pembroke, Andre William Richardson, 23 of Warwick, Niedel Swan, 19, of Hamilton, Craig Darrell, 22, of Southampton, and John Gotti Allen, 19, of no fixed abode, were all handed only six months sentences, suspended for 12 months, for failing to embody for duty.

It was a bizarre scene in Court One as the eight prisoners were ushered in, handcuffed together wearing luminous orange Regiment-issue overalls.

Mr. Greaves, in ebullient mood, told the sheepish soldiers: "This is the funniest thing I have ever seen, these soldiers in orange. You look like sitting ducks."

The 75 minute session was constantly interrupted by attending army officers barking orders at the disgraced soldiers, ordering them to "sit-up straight", "be quiet" and "don't answer back".

While Mr. Greaves had to frequently warn the soldiers to behave themselves, threatening: "I would be worse than Fabian if you messed with me."

The soldiers came up with various excuses for failing to attend the mandatory embodiment, enacted on Saturday, including being a drug addict, not being able to get to Warwick Camp, not knowing about the embodiment and one prisoner even claimed that while with the Regiment he didn't really do anything worthwhile, so chose to help clean up his own home instead. A number of the prisoners also had outstanding fines they owed the court, it emerged.

"My presence here is indicative of how important we view these offences," an angry Lt. Col. Lamb told The Royal Gazette after the hearing.

"I was hoping that the sentences would be activated immediately, we would have liked a stronger message. But we have to respect and accept the judgement of the court.

"But I would like it to go on the record that if any of these men stray again, I am committed to marching them back here to see they are imprisoned.

"We brought them to Magistrates' Court to send a message to these soldiers, and to the public, that service to our country in its hour of need is a responsibility that cannot be shirked.

"We have been inundated with accolades and praise for the valiant efforts of our soldiers and I am immensely proud of them.

"They have worked non-stop from early on Saturday morning and have made gargantuan progress in restoring this country.

"It is phenomenal they they have achieved so much. They have worked tirelessly and with a sense of purpose.

"Which makes it all the more disgusting and disgraceful that these men did not answer the call."

He also revealed that a further eight soldiers had been dealt with by the military justice system. with men imprisoned at Warwick Camp for up to 28 days.

The first of the soldiers to be called up was Darrell, in the Regiment since November 2001, who blamed drugs for his failure to embody with the regiment.

"This year didn't start well for me," he told the court.

"I have a drug habit that I am getting over. Drugs are mind-altering things and I wasn't thinking straight. I first heard about the embodiment on Wednesday night and turned myself in on Thursday.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience I have caused my regiment and my country."

When asked by Mr. Greaves which drugs he had been taking, he replied: "Every drug that is known to man. But now I just have a serious alcohol and marijuana problem."

Richardson, who pleaded guilty of failing to embody as well as failing to attend the Regiment on September 2, also was ordered to pay an outstanding fine of $250 for using offensive words to a Police officer.

Floyd also admitted to failing to attend camp on four occasions as well as during the embodiment.

Prisoner Hill, who failed to attend camp on the Thursday before Fabian Friday as well during the embodiment, also had an outstanding $190 fine.

"Me and my father got in a fight and I had nowhere to stay," he told the court.

"As I wasn't there on Thursday I didn't know (about the embodiment). A friend then told me on the Tuesday so I turned myself in."

Samuels, had been handed a three month suspended sentence on July 16 for nine counts of failing to attend between May and July, and was jailed yesterday.

In mitigation he said: "I am living on the streets because I can't find a full-time job. I help to clean up neighbourhood instead."

He also said he couldn't get to camp on the Saturday morning because he had no transport to which Mr. Greaves replied: "Fellas walk from Kuwait to Baghdad, what kind of soldier are you if you can't walk to camp?"

Allen failed to offer an excuse while Belloquet, who turned up on the first two days of the embodiment and then turned his back on his duties said: "On the Saturday I did turn up, but we were just sitting around not helping the public. On Sunday I went to Hamilton and we were told by workers there that we were messing up their overtime.

"So on Monday and Tuesday I went and helped my family clean up their place."

He was ordered to pay outstanding speeding fines of $650.

Swan, clearly the least remorseful of the prisoners, was forced to stand up throughout the hearing for his improper conduct at the start of the session.

He had $2000 in outstanding fines but offered no excuse for his failure to embody, however his conduct did prompt Mr. Greaves to state: "You need to go to attitude school, that is the problem with you young men, your attitude. Lord have mercy, you are a disgrace, the lot of you."

More than 330 Regiment soldiers have been embodied for the past week and have been widely-praised for having played a vital role in helping Bermuda get back on its feet since Fabian devastated the Island eight days ago.