Man stole clothes to get clean

A MAN who stole a bundle of shirts from a clothes shop begged the courts to send him to prison so he could kick his heroin habit.

Lee Byrne asked magistrates to send him down because he needs the abstinence from the class A drug which only prison can offer him to get clean.

The courts heard how on Tuesday, June 19, Byrne, who pleaded guilty to one count of theft, walked into New Look store approached a rack of shirts, bulked them all up into a bundle and walked out.

The 32-year-old of no fixed abode was later arrested and made a full admission to the police.

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Alison Jordan, prosecuting, said the 11 shirts were worth £197.

She said Byrne had 15 previous convictions for similar matters.

However, Ben Darby, mitigating, said the shoplifting incident had been the only way Byrne had found to stay away from the drug.

He told the court: "He has struggled with heroin addiction for some time.

"He managed to remain clean for the last seven months but when he met some old associates he went back on the drug.

"He has a young daughter whom he sees at weekends. He knows he is not good to her when on heroin.

"He has taken the decision that he needs to go to prison to clean up.

"In the past he has been able to deal with his addiction by way of abstinence which prison will give him."

Magistrates sentenced Byrne to eight weeks in jail for the theft and 28 days to run concurrently for an unpaid fine.