A 22-year-old heroin user charged with stealing a total of $1,852 appeared in Magistrates' Court yesterday and complained that he cannot get effective treatment for his addiction.

The Pembroke man, who claimed he has been addicted to the drug since the age of 13, pleaded guilty to 14 charges of stealing, forging documents and receiving stolen funds.

Sagae Aniel Neroh, 22, of Twin Lane, Pembroke said that he used the stolen money for food and for his addiction to heroin.

Neroh was charged with one incident which took place on the July 23 in which he stole a handbag out of the basket of a cycle being ridden by a local female.

The victim told Police she was riding when Neroh rode up next to her on a black motorbike, reached into her basket and stole the handbag. She followed him for a while but was eventually forced to give up the chase. The handbag contained $35 in cash and two cheques.

Crown counsel Wayne Caines told the court that Neroh took the cheques and forged them. He went to the Bermuda Financial Network where he cashed them and received a total of $370.

The remaining charges of theft and forgery all occurred in February. A female reported that she had left her chequebook in her car parked at her residence. The cheque book contained 22 checks which the owner discovered missing when she returned to the car.

Mr. Caines said that Neroh used the cheques to withdraw $1,350.

Only $106 of the stolen cash was recovered and the victims have not been repaid.

Pleading guilty to the charges Neroh apologised to the court and to his family and said: "This Island ain't got nothing to help me. My only choice is to be sent away for treatment or in jail. I take responsibility, but there should be some place I can get some help."

He said he had been in drug treatment programmes before, but never completed them.

But Mr. Caines said: "We have a purpose to protect the public from such people."

Magistrate Carlisle Greaves ordered a Social Inquiry Report be conducted and remanded Neroh in custody pending the results of the report.