admitted stealing a bottle of vodka.

David Souza, 45, stole the liquor, worth $14, after walking into the Somerset branch of MarketPlace Wednesday afternoon.

As he left the premises with the bottle down his pants, Souza was confronted by the store manager, who, noticing that he appeared intoxicated, ordered him to return the stolen property.

Souza later turned up at Somerset Police Station to confess to the crime and ask for help to get over his addiction.

He spent two nights in custody before appearing before Magistrate Edward King yesterday.

In court Souza, who has a string of previous convictions for similar offences, once again stressed that he was an alcoholic who wanted to quit the bottle.

"I can quit drugs, but alcohol is a bugger,'' he explained.

Souza, who was the victim of a gang attack earlier in the week while on one of his regular drink binges, asked to be put into a programme to help him kick his addiction. But Mr. King said a prison sentence was the best way of helping Souza "turn his back on temptation''.

"This is a sad case of a destitute man calling out for help,'' Mr. King said.

"He can't pay a fine and the answer is not to punish him. He needs help and desperately, but can't get it as long as he's on the street.

"I sentence him to six months imprisonment, not as a penalty but as protective custody, with a strong recommendation that he be placed while incarcerated in a programme to treat his problem and rehabilitate him. That's the only place I can send you sir.'' Ironically Mr. King was then presented with another defendant who had committed an identical crime -- but this time the magistrate decided to hand out a conditional discharge.

George Kelly was apprehended by the store manger of the Shopping Centre on Victoria Street, Hamilton, on Thursday evening after walking out of the premises with a bottle of vodka hidden down his pants.

Kelly, 41, of Parson's Road, Pembroke, admitted the charge in court but added that he was a desperate man struggling to make ends meet.

Kelly explained that since returning to the Island three weeks ago, he had been unable to find a job.

He said his family had deserted him and he was staying with a friend.

"I spend all day looking for a job and at the end of the day I'm tired and hungry,'' Kelly said.

"I stole the vodka so that I could sell it to buy some food.'' Kelly received a conditional discharge for six months.

And Mr. King's lenient mood extended to a third shoplifter who appeared in court yesterday.

Dennis Steade, 46, of Cataract Hill, Paget, was apprehended by store staff after shoplifting more than $250 worth of goods, including four shirts and some jewellery, from the Trimingham's store on Wednesday afternoon.

But Mr. King again handed down a six-month conditional discharge after Steade explained that, because of health problems, he was unable to work.