A drug addict who stole more than £600 worth of goods from various shops told magistrates he would never offend again after turning his life around.

Matthew Waters said he had now kicked his drug habit and got a job after admitting seven shoplifting offences in Maidstone and Tonbridge last year.

The 27-year-old’s nine-month thieving spree started on March 1 when he stole food from a BP garage in Maidstone.

Waters, of Abery Drive, Larkfield, then kept stealing groceries from various shops in Maidstone including Sainsbury’s, M&S in Ashford Road, and a Co-op in the town.

He stole from some of the stores on two separate occasions.

He also swiped booze and other groceries from Sainsbury’s in Tonbridge and fuel from a Co-op garage in the town in September when his offending then stopped.

On Monday, February 10, magistrates in Maidstone heard that in total Waters stole £646.96 of goods, including the fuel, between March 1 and September 22 last year.

The chairman of the bench said: “Your drug habit, you’ve sorted yourself out and you now have a job and you are moving on with your life and you are putting all this behind you.

“You are never going to commit offences again - is that right?”

Waters replied: “Yes, that’s right.”

As a result, magistrates placed him on a 12-month community order which will see him carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and he must also attend 20 rehabilitation sessions with probation.

Waters was also made to pay £646.96 compensation for all the goods he stole from the different stores but was not made to pay any costs or victim surcharge.