Despite his protests that he should be sent into a drug rehabilitation programme, a Sandys man was imprisoned for one year this week for committing a break-in.

Floyd Spence, 32, of Weathervane Lane, had been barred from entering a Southampton residence but kicked in the door on July 20, helped himself to food and demanded $2 from the homeowner.

Spence, representing himself, told Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves that he had broken into the man's house because of drugs.

But he said he wanted to have an opportunity to recover from his drug addictions.

Spence was also arrested in May and found to have crack cocaine.

He admitted to Mr. Greaves that he was using crack at the time but no longer had a drug problem - and still asked to sent to drug rehabilitation such as the Salvation Army's Harbour Light Programme.

"Even if people don't have a drug problem they still have problems dealing with situations," he explained, adding: "I don't know how to cope in society."

But Mr. Greaves, noting Spence's lengthy list of previous convictions, including violence, said he was "not satisfied that you are a drug court or Harbour Lights candidate" before handing down two concurrent 12-month sentences.

Mr. Greaves gave the man a concurrent 12-month prison term for both offences.