Judge gives addict a chance to clean up

'Having been a heroin addict doesn’t mean you can help yourself'

A JUDGE warned a prolific shoplifter: “Just having been a heroin addict doesn’t mean you can help yourself to what you want.”

In the dock at West Berkshire Magistrates’ Court was 28-year-old Leigh-Anna Cheri Martin, back on yet another shoplifting charge.

Helen Waite, prosecuting on Thursday, May 26, said Ms Martin, of Newtown Road, Newbury, was apprehended as she made off from Marks and Spencer with meat and alcohol, together worth £69.08.

She added: “She had already started drinking from one of the bottles.”

Ms Martin admitted committing theft in Newbury on May 11.

She further admitted that her latest offending placed her in breach of not one, but two conditional discharges imposed for handling stolen goods, failure to surrender to bail and two offences of shoplifting.

Mike Davis, defending, said: “She had been living in a tent and had a serious problem with heroin.

“Her methadone [heroin substitute] prescription has now been increased but she has been drinking a lot lately, partly to replace the heroin.”

But District Judge Davinder Lachhar told Ms Martin: “Just having been a heroin addict doesn’t mean you can help yourself to what you want.”

Turning back to Mr Davis, she said: “She can’t go on committing offences.

“She was given two conditional discharges and yet here she is, back again.”

Judge Lachhar said she was deferring sentence for three months and warned Ms Martin to comply with a drug and alcohol treatment requirement meanwhile.

She told Ms Martin: “If you don’t, or if you commit further offences, the court will be looking at a custodial sentence.”