yesterday after he admitted receiving a stolen radio and stealing three pairs of footwear.

And Magistrate Edward King told Davis "you can lead a horse to water'' when the longtime thief and crack addict asked him to order that he be given drug counselling.

Mr. King said: "This man is a professional burglar and despite his guilty pleas he cannot expect to be treated leniently.

"He is a menace to society and the penalty must be punitive,'' he added.

"And a deterrent to others. A man's home is his castle. You shouldn't be breaking into his castle! "I impose the maximum sentence that I can give for these offences. Twelve months for each count which are to be served concurrently. You tried to trick me.

"You know the ropes! You knew that if I sent you to the Supreme Court you'd get -- what's the maximum 14 years?'' he concluded. "Look, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

"I can make all the recommendations that I want but if you don't want to do it.'' Earlier, Davis had balked at spending several weeks on remand in prison while the case was prepared against him.

He changed his plea from not guilty after prosecutor Oonagh Goodred had objected to bail.

Davis was released from prison last November after doing three years for thievery.

He pleaded guilty to receiving retiree Leslie Brokharmer's Sony shortwave radio between May 19 and October 3 and to stealing a pair of sneakers, a pair of construction shoes and a pair of construction boots from the Shoe Centre.

Davis, 34, lives with his mother on Cedar Avenue -- on adjacent property to the Shoe Centre, owned by Calvert Henry.

Police investigating the Shoe Centre theft searched Davis' apartment and found the shoes -- in separate places -- and found Mr. Brokharmer's radio.

Davis said a dead uncle gave him the radio several years ago but Police found Mr. Brokharmer's name, address, and phone number on it.

Eventually Davis admitted that he was given the radio two weeks ago by an unnamed person. Ms Goodred said he "vehemently'' denied stealing the radio himself.

He told Police he found an insecure door at the Shoe Centre and entered via the rear of the store.

Davis apologised yesterday, saying: "I'm sorry for these offences that I committed and whatever sentence you give me I'll try to help to better myself in the time that I have.'' Davis stood quietly as Mr. King finished sentencing him, the muscles in his temple flexing but nodded as he was taken away.