Change your way of life or risk ending up dead, a magistrate told a part-time waste collector yesterday.

Henry Grogan, 31, of Żurrieq was charged with stealing an earth driller from Siġġiewi in March, handling stolen goods, breaking previous bail conditions and being a repeat offender.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera, who took into consideration his early guilty plea, warned him to take control of his life, saying she did not want to be the duty magistrate if he were to be found “lying dead somewhere”.

He was sentenced to 13 months in prison for theft and the court ordered the forfeiture of his €21,500 bail bond for breaching bail conditions. Since Mr Grogan was unable to pay, the sum was converted to a year in jail.

The court asked the director of prisons to provide him with assistance to overcome his drug habit.

Inspector Kylie Borg prosecuted. Legal aid lawyer Simon Micallef Stafrace appeared for the accused.