10 month treatment programme.

But 28-year-old Jacquiline Dillas has been warned that if she fails to complete her rehabilitation course she will have to serve the remaining six months of her sentence.

Dillas will take part in the pioneering course at the recently opened Fair Havens rehabilitation centre for women.

The Camp Hill woman was sentenced to nine months in prison in July for stealing $93 and escaping Police custody. This was described as "generous'' in Supreme Court yesterday, because of her long record of convictions for theft to help pay for her drug habit.

Lawyer for Dillas, Mr. Tim Marshall said: "Fair Havens are prepared to slot Miss Dillas into this programme as of today's date.

"It is the first programme of its kind in Bermuda and I stress that it is an in-house programme which will mean she will have to reside there. It is a strict rehabilitation programme and people are not allowed to freely leave.

Everywhere they go they are accompanied by someone from Fair Havens.

"She has been in a `revolving door' as you can see from her record of short terms of imprisonment. The underlying problem is drug addiction.'' Mr. Marshall pointed out that in the past Dillas had failed to take her "last chances.''. But he added that at 28 years of age and with the added responsibility of a seven-year-old child Dillas was beginning to realise that it was time to address her problems.

He said: "She has served three months of her term of imprisonment in the Co-ed Facility. This programme will mean a greater sentence in reality because it would be for an additional 10 months.'' Asking Puisne Judge the Hon. Mr. Justice Ward to take a calculated risk, Mr.

Marshall said: "If this underlying problem is not addressed we will lose Miss Dillas to drugs.

"If she succeeds in this programme there will be no risk of anybody's property being stolen. Without the programme the risk to society remains.'' Crown Counsel Mr. Diarmuid Doorly said the Crown had no problem with placing Dillas on a rehabilitation programme as long as there were stringent conditions.

Mr. Doorly said: "There is a history of the courts allowing a last chance to people with extensive records.

"Such a chance has been offered before and prison has obviously not worked.

At least the community was protected when she was in prison.'' Mr. Justice Ward pointed out that the Magistrates' Court sentence was "extraordinarily generous'' in the light of her record.

He said: "Had the magistrate committed her to Supreme Court she would have been sentenced to a much longer period of incarceration.

"This is a last chance to redeem herself but if she defaults then she will be arrested to complete the sentence imposed in July.'' Speaking to Dillas, Mr. Justice Ward said: "If you mess up you shall be re-arrested and taken back to the Co-ed Facility. This is not an easy way out.

It is a chance to get yourself straight.'' He suspended the remaining six months of the sentence until she has finished the Fair Havens programme.