A mentally ill man was sentenced to nine months in prison yesterday for stealing $3,000 in hurricane relief funds and six bottles of communion wine from a Warwick church.

Richard Allen, 47, of Middle Road, Warwick pleaded guilty at Magistrates? Court to breaking into St. Mary?s Church on Middle Road between September 12 and September 13.

Allen also admitted breaking into St. Mary?s on September 18 and stealing a bottle of wine valued at $14.

Crown counsel Cindy Clarke said the first time Allen broke into the church he stole five bottles of wine valued at $70 and three envelopes each containing $1,000 which had been collected for hurricane victims.

Allen was arrested on October 28 outside the Southampton MarketPlace after a Forensics Officer placed him at the crime scene, she said.

When interviewed by Police, he confessed to climbing through a closed but unlocked window on the church?s northern side.

Ms Clarke said Allen had a previous conviction for stealing and was addicted to drugs.

Allen told Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner he stole the wine and money from the church because he had run out of medicine.

?It?s not my fault. I was on pills but they broke down my dosage.?

At duty counsel Michelle St. Jane?s suggestion, Allen told the judge he would pay the church all its money back.

However, Mr. Warner was suspicious of Allen?s ability to pay compensation.

?That?s strange because you said at one stage that you took these things because you didn?t have any money.?

Mr. Warner questioned Allen?s mental state, saying he needed to be placed where there was more security than the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute.

?I?m going to send you to jail,? Mr. Warner said. ?You have real problems. You might have mental problems. But if I send you to St. Brendan?s you will just walk out of there and do the same thing all over again.?

Mr. Warner sentenced Allen to nine months? imprisonment on both counts to be served concurrently. The maximum sentence for church breaking in a summary court is 12 months.