A FORMER heroin addict who stole to pay back debts owed to her dealer has appeared in court.

Barbara Cheryl Taylor, 27, pleaded guilty at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday to two counts of shoplifting.

The court heard how last month Taylor, of Geneva Road, Darlington, was identified on CCTV walking out of a store in the town without paying for items of food and toiletries.

Later that day, she was also caught trying to steal Playstation games worth £99 from HMV.

Paul Hunter, prosecuting, told the court that Taylor had a long list of offences for shoplifting.

Stephen Andrew, in mitigation, said his client had been a heroin addict for several years and had stolen to finance her addiction.

However, he said she had now given up the drug and had been forced to carry out the shoplifting by her former dealer.

Mr Andrews said: "The list of previous convictions reveals an unenviable reputation in terms of offences of a similar nature.

"Very recently, someone to which she owes a considerable drug debt had been released from prison, and this person has now caught up with her.

"She was specifically told which items were to be taken and passed on to him to pay off the debts."

Mr Andrews added that he knew Ms Taylor was drug-free, as she was now living with her mother who would not allow her in the house while she was using heroin.

The case was adjourned until March 21 for a pre-sentence report with a community punishment steering.