Alcohol, drugs and bad company will do you no good.

Those were the words of High Court Judge Justice Daniel Goundar as he sentenced 22 year old Tukai Yavala to three years imprisonment after being found guilty of robbery with violence.

While passing the sentence, Justice Gounder highlighted that Yavala along with two others in September 2005 assaulted and robbed a 56 year old man in Samabula of $250 in cash and other items.

During the attack, Yavala and others placed a knife to the victim's neck before punching and kicking him while he was lying on the footpath. The victim suffered serious injuries.

Justice Goundar also noted that Yavala had told police that he was on his way to buy marijuana when he was convinced to join the attack on the man, and that he only got $20 as his share of the stolen money which he used to buy alcohol and drugs.

Taking into account that Yavala was a first offender, Justice Goudar also said that from the court proceedings, he is convinced that Yavala is an intelligent person having a form 6 level of education.

However, Justice Goundar said it is unfortunate that he is unemployed and doing nothing constructive with his life. He stressed that a non custodial sentence cannot be completed.