ONE LAST CHANCE FOR FOUR-TIME DOPE OFFENDER

An ailing four-time drug offender was given one last chance to serve his
sentence at home yesterday, but a frustrated judge warned him he won't be so
lucky the next time.

"You've burned every bridge there is to burn," said Queen's Bench Justice
John Menzies. "There's no going back now."

Campbell Street resident Glenn Gibson had his fourth run-in with the law in
January 2002, when he was busted for running a grow operation while serving
a previously imposed conditional sentence for a similar offence.

BUSTED DURING HOUSE ARREST

The January incident marked Gibson's fourth arrest for cultivating weed in
his own home. He was booked on the same charges in 1995, 1998 and 1999.

Gibson's conviction for the 1999 arrest resulted in an 18-month period of
house arrest, which he was still in the process of serving when he was
picked up by police the fourth time.

Despite the obvious pattern of repeat offending, lawyers jointly recommended
Gibson be returned to his home yesterday, since he suffers from a
degenerative health condition with symptoms linked to spinal arthritis.

His ailment -- anklyosing spondylitis -- is so severe that he told police he
smokes up to "15 fat ones a day" just to ease the pain.

After admitting a prison sentence would constitute "cruel and unusual
punishment" in Gibson's case, Menzies sentenced the man to two years less a
day of house arrest, during which time police will be able to search his
residence at random.

Before allowing him to go home, Menzies told Gibson he'd played the health
card for the last time.

"You've placed the court in a very, very difficult position," he said.

"You'd better not be back."