Hamilton Harbour will be sentenced in February along with other charges of unruly behaviour.

Dennis Leroy Lambert yesterday admitted escaping lawful custody shortly after leaving the morning plea court session in Magistrates' Court.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis -- who on Monday had set a social inquiry report to sentence Lambert on February 17 -- heard he "yanked'' his hand out of the handcuffs and ran to Front Street.

He was being taken back to Hamilton Police Station.

Junior Crown counsel Veronica Gordon said after being cornered, Lambert, 20, of no fixed abode, jumped into the harbour before returning to the wharf into waiting Police hands.

Lambert, appeared in court yesterday wearing remand prison orange and was escorted by three prison officers.

He pleaded guilty on Monday to damaging a car, using an offensive weapon, using offensive words and threatening behaviour.

Police found him last Friday wielding a Louisville Slugger bat after causing $7,000 damage to a parked car.