A man charged in connection with burglaries at two Hamilton Parish businesses has been jailed for three years.

Bruce Gibbons, 51, pleaded guilty to receiving a safe and $2,160 cash stolen from Tony's Fine Foods.

He also admitted to handling goods stolen from East End Asphalt with a total value of $2,574. The items included $250 cash, a digital camera, two chainsaws and a power saw.

Finally, he pleaded guilty to causing malicious damage to a wall light, security camera, filing cabinet, cash box and metal fence at that business.

Crown counsel Larissa Burgess told Magistrates' Court that Tony's was burgled overnight on February 12, with staff discovering early on February 13 that someone had cut through a padlock on the roll-down door. East End Asphalt was burgled overnight on February 14.

Gibbons denied responsibility for the actual burglaries although he admitted to watching them take place. Ms Burgess said his guilty pleas to the alternative charges of handling stolen goods were acceptable to the Crown.

Gibbons is presently serving a one-year jail sentence meted out in March for a similar offence.

He told Acting Magistrate Edward Bailey he was suffering from drug and alcohol problems at the time he was sent to Westgate.

"While there I've enrolled in a drug programme and I've also enrolled in academic classes and I'm working in the library and tutoring," he explained.

Mr. Gibbons, who has a son living in California, added: "It's my serious intention at this point to make a turn around and try to resume some type of life that's relatively normal. I'm deeply ashamed and sorry for what I've done. I'm trying to make the best out of it. I'm an old man and this is not the way to live life. I've made some bad choices but I can change with a little help."

His three-year sentence will commence once the one he's already serving ends.