he was found in a collapsed state outside a Front Street department store.

The man, allegedly drunk, was arrested and conveyed to Hamilton Police Station for his own safety Wednesday night. He was released from custody the next morning.

He is the third man this week to spend a night in Hamilton Police Station after being found collapsed in the city centre.

Last Monday, a 65-year-old homeless man was picked up at the Flag Pole on Front Street after he was found collapsed in a drunk and incapable state. He was released the following morning after being formally cautioned.

And a 41-year-old homeless man was arrested at 2 a.m. last Tuesday after being found slumped on the ground outside the Emporium Building on Front Street. He, too, appeared to be in an impaired state and was allegedly found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia.

Corporation of Hamilton secretary Roger Sherratt put the series of arrests down to coincidence but applauded the Police for their work anyway.

The Corporation did experience problems with drunks in the city, particularly in the area of the horse carriage stands, but had not asked the Police to crack down on the offenders.

However he added: "Drunks do cause a nuisance in the city on a daily basis.

We are pleased that the Police are dealing with people who have raised concerns.'' CAR DRIVER COMES CLEAN IN COURT CTS Car driver comes clean in court A man drove his brother's car over a cliff face and told Police the vehicle had been stolen because he couldn't tell his family the truth.

Michael Croft Trott, who uses the alias Tariq Walkraam, drove into the waters at Bailey's Bay at 11.30 p.m. on New Year's Eve.

But he told Police the car had been stolen from King's Square in St. George's.

Trott, 48, was fined $500 in Magistrates Court late last week after pleading guilty to making a false report to Police.

He said: "That car is almost 13 or 14-years-old. When the front wheel went over, I went straight down.

"I had to kick the windshield out of the car. I was messed up... I was soaking wet.

"I had to think what I was going to tell my people. But the following day I went to St. George's Police Station and told them what had really happened.'' Trott was given until the end of May to pay his fines.

DRUG HABIT COSTS MAN HIS FREEDOM CTS Drug habit costs man his freedom A man who stole to feed his drug addiction was jailed for eight months.

But Senior Magistrate Will Francis made a strong recommendation that Tio Tyione Weeks receive counselling and treatment for his problems at Westgate.

Weeks, 22, of Fern Crescent, Cobbs Hill, had admitted breaking and entering, and stealing at an earlier hearing.

He had smashed the door of the dental office of Dr. Vincent Bridgewater and stole cheques and cash worth $714.20.

In addition, he admitted taking $400 from his girlfriend's mother's purse, handing it back when confronted. He told Police the money was to fund his cocaine and heroin addiction.

Mr. Francis said he had taken into account Weeks' efforts to rid himself of drugs and his guilty pleas. He sentenced him to eight months for each offence, to run concurrently.

MORE ARRESTED FOR DRUG SMUGGLING CTS More arrested for drug smuggling Three Bermudians and five people in the United States have now been charged in connection with an alleged $500,000 international cocaine smuggling ring.

US authorities late last week reported the arrests at Boston's Logan Airport of five people on suspicion of importation of liquid cocaine.

Their arrests follow the apprehension last month of three people here, who were charged in connection with a conspiracy to import cocaine valued at $500,000.

Judy Louise Spence, Comal Shavon Spence and Jamal Reuben Pearman are all charged with conspiring with the remaining two and others unknown to import cocaine into Bermuda.

In addition, Judy Spence, 44, of Boundary Terrace, Devonshire, Comal Spence, 23, of High Point Road, Devonshire and Pearman, 30, of Town Hill Road, Smith's, all face other drug related charges.

They were all released on $25,000 bail and have not been required to enter a plea to the charges.

In the US operation, the five men and women, who are all from Massachusetts and New York, were arrested on January 31.

They were charged by US Customs agents and have been indicted in federal court with smuggling liquid cocaine in the US from Jamaica.

A Bermuda Police spokesman said they were unable to comment at this time as the matter was still before the courts and any comment could prejudice the proceedings.

DRUNK CYCLIST HIT WITH ROAD BAN CTS Drunk cyclist hit with road ban A man appeared in Magistrates' Court for trying to drive a cycle with more than three times the legal amount of alcohol in his blood.

Hamilton Princess truck driver Keenan Bennett Jones, 38, pleaded guilty to the charge of having control of a motorcycle while his ability to drive was impaired.

Junior Crown Counsel Veronica Gordon said in the early hours of February 8 Police officers on mobile patrol noticed Jones standing astride a cycle attempting to kickstart it on Harbour Road.

They saw him stumble and almost knock the bike over.

The officers stopped their vehicle and while speaking to Jones noticed he appeared to be drunk.

He was taken to Hamilton Police Station where a test showed he had 255 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 milligrammes.

Jones apologised to Senior Magistrate Will Francis for wasting the court's time, was fined $500 and disqualified from driving all vehicles for 12 months.

HOMELESS MAN CHARGED IN B&E CTS Homeless man charged in B&E A homeless man who allegedly broke into Saltus Cavendish School to get out of the rain has been remanded in custody until an April 1 trial.

Cyril Tucker, on Friday pleaded not guilty to breaking and entering with intentions of stealing from the Devonshire school on March 13.

Tucker, 58, also pleaded not guilty to disobeying a registered letter from the head teacher forbidding him from the property.

He told Senior Magistrate Will Francis: "The door was open. It was during the storm. That doesn't even sound right.'' Tucker added: "It wasn't even a teacher. He has stolen the keys. He ain't no teacher.'' Mr. Francis had to warn Tucker about talking after Tucker, said aloud to no one in particular: "I'll lick you upside your face. You ain't no teacher.''