Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves showed some real Christmas spirit when he relented and released a 40-year-old St. George's man on bail, after the man broke down and cried.

Brain Carlton Rogers, of Wellington Hill pleaded not guilty to house breaking on December 11, 2001. When faced with being sent to prison on remand, Rogers, teary-eyed, clutched his girlfriend and 18-month-old child and begged Mr. Greaves not to imprison him because he was their sole provider.

"I work steady, because I provide for my missus and my son. I'll do curfew or whatever, but don't send me to jail."

Mr. Greaves set a January 8, 2002 court date for Rogers and said: "If you are so scared of jail, you need to stay out of trouble. I don't feel happy having you walking around, you're a trickster - I'm going to make sure you have an early trial date."Mr. Greaves released Rogers on $1,000 bail.