Market Deeping man stole to fund heroin addiction

A Market Deeping man stole items from the town's Tesco store on three occasions over a month to pay for his heroin addiction, a court has been told.

Darren John Sheridan (40), of Black Prince Avenue, admitted the charges when he appeared at Boston Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

The court heard that he had stolen £200 worth of spirits on March 19, £140 worth of meat on March 25 and £120 worth of gin on April 20.

Prosecuting, Jim Clare said that he was seen on each occasion and on March 25 he was stopped and the items recovered.

He said that when interviewed by the police he said he was 'going through a bad patch' and admitted he had stolen the items to buy drugs.

Mitigating, Philippa Chatterton said Sheridan had been addicted to heroin at the time but had since become clean, with help from Addaction.

She said he had suffered a relapse after a family bereavement but gave up his job, thinking that if he had no money he wouldn't be able to buy drugs, but his need had been so great he had to steal to fund it.

She said he was 'now stable and had got his old job back'.

Sheridan was ordered to pay £320 in compensation to Tesco and to pay £85 court costs.