Swearing at a Magistrate and punching out a window at the court earned talented artist Dunavin Nisbett a prison sentence. Nisbett, 46, was charged with using offensive language and wilful damage after the incident on January 2, which came after he had been arrested on a warrant.

He has been in custody since, and appeared in court yesterday in relation to the damage and also breaching a probation order.

Probation officer Gina Spinicelli told Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner that he has "relapsed" and is not suitable to be treated in the community.

Mr. Warner told him: "You've got a habit of coming to court and swearing at people."

Nisbett then accused Ms Spinicelli of lying about him, and swore at her and threatened her which led to him being surrounded by a phalanx of Police officers. The Magistrate revoked his probation and jailed him for three months for breaching his probation plus an additional three months for his violent behaviour during the last court hearing.

The Royal Gazette reported in October 2008 how Nisbett had a solo exhibition of his work hosted at the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art.

He told how he had grown up in foster care, then left for a life sleeping on the streets.

After 32 years battling heroin, cocaine and marijuana addiction, he said he'd come out of Westgate drug free and painting every day, having been inspired by art lessons while inside.

"Painting is my way of escaping from that reality, and it makes me feel better," he said at the time, describing his art exhibition as "like a dream come true".