A former taxi driver with a history of swindling thousands of dollars from people was sentenced to two years in jail after he defrauded the Bank of Butterfield to the tune of $47,000.

Assistant Justice Archibald Warner handed the sentence down on Friday to Calvin Thomas Douglas, 40, after he pleaded guilty to two counts of forgery, two counts of uttering and two counts of stealing between March 2, and March 3, last year.

Crown counsel Cindy Clarke told the court that Douglas, of Cottage Hill, Hamilton Parish, managed to get personal information from someone who had loaned him money in the past and made a series of transactions using the information.

Ms Clarke explained that Douglas withdrew $47,000 and used $9,000 to pay off his landlord -The Bermuda Housing Corporation - and the other $38,000 to cover expenses and debts.

She said that Douglas had committed three similar offences and his "greed" should be rewarded with a jail sentence of three to five years.

In Douglas' defence, lawyer Elizabeth Christopher said that her client was in a desperate state to prevent his family from being evicted and stole the money for that reason alone.

She also added that $20,000 of the money had been repaid and that he had some "intellectual deficits" and other psychological shortcomings that made him resort to the theft.

Mr. Warner said: "You mean to say that people without the highest education who manage their affairs badly - that gives them the right to go out and steal? What he did shows great sophistication and cunning. Money management problems happen to the best of us, that doesn't give us the right to go out and steal. He did it not once, not twice, but three times."

He continued: "I've carefully considered the full mitigation - however I cannot overlook the fact that you have had convictions for similar offences. I sentence you to two years."

The sentences are to run concurrently.