Solicitor Gerry Stapleton represented Christopher O'Neil, 19, of Raines Place, in Orange Local Court last Wednesday.

He said O'Neil committed a break and enter at Larder and Home cafe and homewares store at Lucknow to help a friend who needed money.

"He tells me that unlike previous occasions that illicit substances were not a factor," Mr Stapleton said.

"He says with the offence at Lucknow, he had a friend who could not feed his children."

According to police, O'Neil smashed a glass French door plus a window and entered the Mitchell Highway business at 1.05am on December 18, 2020. He was arrested at his home about 1.20am on January 24 this year.

Mr Stapleton said O'Neil pleaded guilty the day after his arrest and he spent the first two weeks of his time in custody in isolation due to COVID-19 restrictions. O'Neil was still in custody on Wednesday.

Magistrate David Day said he had an appalling record but 80 per cent of young offenders stop committing offences after the age of 21.

"I want you to be one of the 80 per cent of people who stop offending," Mr Day said.

Mr Day convicted O'Neil and gave him a nine-month community-based custodial sentence by way of an Intensive Correction Order for the break and enter. He will have to abstain from drugs and take part in rehabilitation and treatment.

"If he comes back before me I won't have any qualms [giving him] full-time jail for break and enter," Mr Day said..

"The community is absolutely fed up and has been for a long time."

Mr Day told O'Neil that businesses have to pay an amount of money to their insurer to claim what they lost following a break and enter and their insurance premiums can increase.

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