An addict who began a crime rampage two days after he was released from prison was jailed for five years yesterday in Supreme Court.

Basil Melville Stuart, 44, of no fixed abode, had pleaded guilty to four counts of house breaking and one count of school breaking. The court was told Stuart had an extensive criminal history with 70 similar offences.

Crown counsel Wayne Caines the court to hand down a seven-year sentence, pointing out that the public need to feel safe in their homes. Mr. Caines cited similar cases where seven-year sentences were levied.

Mr. Caines also told the court that with the recent changes to the Criminal Code, many criminals are now “holding their hands up in the air and saying: ‘I am a drug addict and I need help'.”

Chief Justice Austin Ward said: “I do not think any have come in my court and done that to me, though I have heard that it has been done in other courts.”

Defence lawyer Mark Pettingill said he is a realist when he deals with an individual “with this type of record”. He suggested that Stuart was a good candidate for the Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) programme and said that he is non-violent, articulate, sensible and well written. But, he said, his client has a “Jekyll-and-Hyde” personality when drugs are involved.

Stuart said: “I would like to apologise to everyone I stole from - especially the kids at the nursery school. I have tried for 20 years to battle drug addiction and the only thing I have accomplished is going in and out of prison.

Mr. Justice Ward handed down a five-year sentence for each count to run concurrently and told Stuart that he can receive drug treatment at the Westgate Correctional Facility.

In total, Stuart stole items worth $8,132, of which $1,080 in cash and property was recovered.

He broke into the first house on March 13, stealing items worth $2,475. On March 22, he broke into the second house and stole a TV and other items worth $3,750.

He then broke into Gilbert Institute School on March 22 and stole a TV and video worth $800.

On March 24, Stuart broke into the Woodlands Playhouse Nursery School but was caught in the act by the caretaker. He pleaded to the caretaker that he was stealing to support his drug habit and begged him not to call the Police. He then returned the stolen goods worth $300, already loaded into a truck outside, but kept a can of coins worth $27.

On March 26, Stuart broke into another house and stole $135 in US currency and other items worth $780. He was arrested on March 27.