A Hamilton Parish man admitted to stealing three pumpkins and a bottle of liquor, saying he was "messed up" at the time.

Brian Percival Gibbons, of W.B.'s Way, pleaded guilty to stealing three pumpkins weighing 120 pounds from DeSilva's Vegetable Farm on October 18.

He admitted stealing a bottle of Hennessey cognac, valued at $37, from the MarketPlace on November 6.

Crown Counsel Cindy Clarke told Magistrates' Court that DeSilva's Vegetable Farm owner Manuel DeSilva, was the complainant in the first matter.

Mr. DeSilva received a phone call from a friend telling him to go down to his Smith's farm. There, he found the defendant and another man who was not before the courts, stealing three pumpkins.

Mr. DeSilva confronted the 48-year-old, who had removed the pumpkins from the vines, and called the Police.

Gibbons was taken to the Southside Police Station where he admitted to stealing the pumpkins and said: "I took them to sell."

The pumpkins were seized by Police to be photographed and were valued at $200.

In the second matter, Gibbons was seen on video footage by the manager of Hamilton MarketPlace, removing a bottle of Hennessey from a shelf in the liquor department and placing it in the back of his pants.

He walked to the front of the store, paid for a Bounty chocolate bar and attempted to leave with the liquor.

The manager stopped Gibbons and called the Police.

The defendant admitted to stealing the liquor and said: "Yeah I took it. It was stupid."

When asked by Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner if he had an explanation, Gibbons said he was an honest man and had never committed a similar offence.

However, Ms Clarke notified the Magistrate of the defendant's previous convictions which included a dishonesty offence.

The Magistrate said: "I thought you told me you never did this before. You are a lone midnight farmer."

Gibbons explained he had been on drugs at the time and has completely changed his life around with the help of the rehabilitation programme at Turning Point. He said he now attends church and works two jobs.

Mr. Warner sentenced Gibbons to one month in prison for stealing the pumpkins and six months for stealing the liquor.

However, he suspended the sentences for 24 months, meaning if Gibbons comes before the courts again in that time period, the sentences could be activated.