A Warwick man was ordered to pay $1,248 in fines on Monday in Magistrates? Court for failing to pick up his goods from Hamilton Docks on time.

Michael Colin David Lambert, of St. Mary?s Road in Warwick, said he did not pay the bills that were sent to his home because the items left on the dock did not belong to him.

The first shipment left on the docks arrived on on August 16, 2000 and Lambert accrued a fine of $1,186 from the Corporation for not picking it up on time.

Earl Francis of the Docks Manager?s office told the court that goods arriving in Bermuda can be left on the dock for up to five days without charge.

After the five-day grace period, the Corporation charges 50 cents per square foot per day for three days and then $1 per square foot per day thereafter until the goods are collected.

A second shipment of household items arrived on the on December 10, 2001 and Lambert accrued $202 in fines for failing to collect these items.

The goods were traced back to Lambert but he said they belonged to Ed Ball and that he had brought the items in to work on Mr. Ball?s house.

However, Magistrate Edward King said that Lambert had to pay the fines on or before November 1, or spend 14 days in prison, which would still not clear his debt.

?Lambert attempted to deny that he caused the goods to be imported into Bermuda, and therefore, was responsible for the charges incurred,? Mr. King said.

He called Lambert?s story ?laughable?.

?There are no free lunches. Someone always has to pay,? Mr. King said.