An army recruit, who skipped service in the Bermuda Regiment in the aftermath of Hurricane Igor, was handed a suspended sentence when he appeared in Magistrates' Court.

Chez Leonard Wolffe, 21, of Devon Spring Road, Devonshire, was given a three-month prison sentence suspended for 24 months by Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner.

Mr. Warner said if Wolffe committed any further offences within the next two years, including missing military duty, the jail term would be activated.

Wolffe admitted to four offences including failing to attend duty between September 8 and 25 and being absent without leave during Hurricane Igor on September 19 and 20.

He also admitted to failing to pay a $300 fine and to failing to complete four extra days of service meted out by the Regiment in the allotted time frame.

The court heard Wolffe was enlisted into the Bermuda Regiment on December 5, 2008.

He failed to attend 11 times between February 19 and June 2 and was disciplined and reduced in rank for the absences. Wolffe was also fined and ordered to complete extra service days by Regiment Commander Brian Gonsalves but went on to skip military duty again.

Wolffe said he was working to make up the extra days.

He said: "I am just trying to get it out of the way, finish my last two years and [then it will be] happy days."

In addition to the suspended sentence Mr. Warner fined Wolffe $300 each for failing to pay the fine and not completing extra service days.