A 54-year-old man who has had more than 39 convictions in his life, was sentenced to seven years in prison in Supreme Court yesterday.

Richard James Green of Two Way Lane, Pembroke, had pleaded guilty to four counts of robbery, two counts of theft and one count of being in possession of a bladed weapon in January this year.

Yesterday Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves during sentencing said the only mitigating factors to Green's long list of previous convictions were that he had pleaded guilty and he had produced $2,100 towards the $6,500 that he owed.

That money was taken from Arthur Able Cabral on several occasions between July and November in 2006. Mr. Crabral, who said he knew Green, continued to pay because he was concerned for his welfare.

Starting on July 25, 2006 Green went to Mr. Cabral's residence on Dundonald Street in Pembroke, demanding $1,000 and the complainant made one of many trips to the BIU Members Credit Union.

After withdrawing the money, Mr. Cabral gave it to Green the next day.

Green, however, was trying to support his drug habit which included heroin and cocaine and apparently trying to maintain the habit of a female friend, according to his defence lawyer Llewellyn Peniston.

So on September 18, as Mr. Cabral returned from work and was parking his car on Beacon Street, Green got into the complainant's car and said: "Let's go I need some money."

Mr. Cabral, who was 64 at the time, again drove to the BIU Member's Credit Union and withdrew $1,000 for a second time.

The complainant would repeat this action under duress on October 13 getting another $1,000 for Green.

Then at 6 a.m. on October 23, Mr. Cabral received a phone call asking him to meet Green outside his residence. Once outside the defendant demanded $3,000 and Mr. Cabral withdrew the money again.

Again on November 16, Green met Mr. Cabral as he returned from work and managed to threaten $500 out of the 64-year-old.

Finally at 8.15 a.m. on Saturday November 18, Green was caught.

Mr. Cabral was at Albouy's Point, Hamilton, speaking to a friend, when Green arrived.

He held a kitchen knife up to Mr. Cabral's leg and demanded money. While Mr. Cabral gave him $50, his friend, who was not named, went to find a Police Officer.

Yesterday prosecutors said the sentence should be punitive especially because Green had terrorised an older gentleman.

Crown counsel Nicole Smith, said: "The accused took advantage of the most vulnerable of groups in our society. That's the elderly.

"The accused repeatedly put forward in the complainants mind fear."

Defence council Mr. Peniston however said his client had not been in trouble since 1999 and that he was prepared to pay back the money he had taken.

He said: "There's no dispute about his antecedents and they come to a halt in 1999. In going forward this means he was a law-abiding citizen for nine years and I ask the court to take that into consideration.

"On the subject of repayment, I have $2,100 in cash."

Mr. Carlisle Greaves said he would take the agreement to repay the funds as a mitigating factor as long as it was repaid within three months or face two years in prison. He then sentenced Green to seven years in jail with time already served taken into account.