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A drug addict has narrowly avoided jail after stealing booze, meat and sweets from shops while on a suspended sentence.
Graham Scott from Sevenoaks swiped more than £250 of goods from two shops in Orpington and when he was arrested, was found with methadone on him - a synthetic opiate used as an alternative to heroin.
The 38-year-old, of Ashburnham Close, admitted three counts of shoplifting and possession of a class A drug last year and returned to Medway Magistrates’ Court on January 2 to learn his fate.
Lucie Fish, prosecuting, said: “There were three shoplifting offences, the first was on July 14 when he went into the Sainsbury’s store and took £116 of alcohol.”
She then told the court he also stole from the Co-op store in Orpington on September 15 and September 21, when he swiped meat, booze and confectionary valued at £150.
The prosecutor added: “He was identified via CCTV for the thefts and methadone was found on him when he was arrested on October 9.”
Scott, who has previous convictions, was in breach of a suspended 28-day prison sentence at the time.
But Roger Haw, defending, told the court drugs were the route of Scott’s offending and that he wanted to stop.
He added: “If he goes to prison, that’s not going to help him. He desperately wants to get out of his addiction, but he’s got to do it.”
Magistrates decided not to activate his former suspended sentence but instead placed him on another - this time for 120 days in prison, suspended for 18 months.
He was ordered to complete 50 rehabilitation sessions, a drug rehabilitation requirement for nine months and to wear a GPS tag for 16 weeks.
He was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £154 and £85 court costs but, because of his limited means, was not ordered to pay compensation.