A man with a drug addiction broke into the home of a senior relative and stole $540 in cash to feed his habit. But when he made a repeat break-in a few months later he was caught and admitted to his crime, a judge has been told.

Rodney Winston Simons, 36, was ordered to attend a drug rehabilitation programme but defaulted on the probation order and stopped going, which led to his subsequent arrest in January this year.

Facing a custodial sentence Simons appeared before Puisne Judge Charles Etta-Simmons.

Crown counsel Wayne Caines, giving a summary of the original crimes, said Simons had climbed through the window of a home in Wingood Way, Sandys, on April 28, 2004 and carried out a search of the property where he discovered the cash and took it before fleeing.

Then on July 29 the same year he again broke into the property, but this time an elderly resident was at home and was alerted to him prowling around.

"She was startled that someone was in the room," said Mr. Caines.

The resident's grandson and another friend returned to the property at the same time and confronted Simons. Simons was arrested by Police and admitted both break-ins.

Mr. Caines said: "He said the only reason he did it was because he was addicted to heroin and cocaine, and he felt disgusted with himself as the victim was a relative."

The victim expressed a wish that Simons, of Railway Drive, Sandys, not be jailed but be given help to combat his drug addiction. This led to him being enrolled in a drug programme which he later defaulted on.

In mitigation lawyer Shade Subair said Simons had been a cocaine user from the age of 19 and had struggled with his drug treatment programme after learning in December 2004 that his father had cancer, of which he died on Christmas Day that year.

She said Simons had "extended periods of absence" from the drug rehabilitation programme around this time and those absences continued to the point that his enrolment in the programme was terminated.

Asking that he be allowed another chance to complete the rehabilitation programme, Ms Subair said Simons' attitude has changed and he now has a job. She added: "He realises this in probably his last chance before facing an immediate custodial sentence for any further probation breach."

Mrs. Justice Etta-Simmons remanded Simons in custody until April 3 for updated reports to be made with the view to making a fresh probation order.