Hours out of prison, a Mosgiel man smashed up two businesses and was back behind bars - just as he wanted.

Kaama Tetakoree Waenga, 30, told police he broke into two buildings because he had no money, no place to sleep and wanted to go back to jail.

It worked.

He was back in custody after the incidents on June 1 and swiftly pleaded guilty to two charges of burglary, the Dunedin District Court heard this afternoon.

Waenga was jailed for 21 months today but was not in court to hear the final outcome.

He tried to leave the dock as Judge Crosbie was midway through the sentencing process and told him: "just get it over and done with. I don't give a f***."

The judge directed he be taken to the cells.

The defendant responded with a middle-fingered gesture as he was led away.

Despite Waenga's claims of neglect, Corrections said it had continually tried to support him.

"Staff made numerous attempts to work with this offender about planning for his release from prison and where he would live, however he refused to engage with staff," Southern operations director Chris O'Brien-Smith said.

Waenga appeared in court on May 31 where he was sentenced to seven and a-half months' imprisonment for two breaches of intensive supervision.

He was immediately released because of the time he had spent on remand.

Defence counsel Sarah Saunderson-Warner said her client requested he be dropped off in Mosgiel because he had some food and cooking utensils in a "run-down barn" on farmland.

However, once he got there he found his supplies were gone.

With it being the start of a long weekend, Waenga was broke and had no chance to see Work and Income for some days, Ms Saunderson-Warner said.

He was desperate.

"He was effectively in the middle of Mosgiel on a winter's night with no food and no shelter," she said.

Waenga was in Gordon Rd when he found a workman's pick axe which he used to smash his way into Knox's Milk Bar. The defendant tried to force the till open but eventually settled for a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

With no sign of authorities, Waenga made the short walk to the ANZ bank.

Again, he flung the heavy tool at the frontage and smashed the glass panel.

The defendant rummaged through various drawers and called police on a cordless phone.

At Waenga's request officers came and arrested him.

Ms Saunderson-Warner said the defendant was committed not to repeat the fiasco on his next release.

He was now working with Prisoners Aid & Rehabilitation Society to find suitable accommodation, the court heard.

Judge Michael Crosbie said the offending was "quite odd".

As a cry for help, Waenga's actions were "the most extreme thing I've ever heard", he told the court.

The judge said he could not begin to imagine what it was like to be in the position the defendant found himself but there were other choices he had.

"I can think of much better options than breaking into a shop and a bank," he said.

Corrections did what they could but Waenga refused to cooperate, Judge Crosbie said.

Despite the defendant's outburst in court today, the judge opted not to reprimand him for contempt of court.