A THIEVING train passenger who stole computers from other commuters has been given six months to reform on a rehab course or face jail.

Barry Costello, 41, was caught by British Transport Police after he was spotted switching trains between Manchester and Teesside.

A student burst into tears as she reported to a guard that he had tried to take her laptop and iPod after he sat next to her.

Costello was asked to leave the Trans-Pennine Express at Northallerton, and CCTV cameras recorded him standing on the platform for an hour before swapping his jacket for another one and then boarding the Grand Central train heading for Sunderland.

Prosecutor Rachel Masters told Teesside Crown Court that he had two holdalls and he was seen in possession of a third holdall that he had removed from the train.

He was arrested, and he said that he had sold an iPad and a MacBook to a taxi driver for £100, said Miss Masters.

After he was released on bail he returned to Billingham and he went back to the police station with another holdall which he handed to officers.

In an interview, he said that he had travelled to Manchester from Hartlepool for a drug rehabilitation programme but he came home after one night in January.

He said he could not remember taking the MacBook and iPad, but could recall handing in the holdall.

The student said in a statement that she delayed her return to university because she was so upset by Costello’s actions.

Costello had 14 convictions for 30 offences for theft, burglary and drugs.

Martin Scarborough, defending, said he had a serious works accident in 1988 and he became addicted to painkillers followed by heroin.

He had now been chosen for a 12 months residential rehab course run by a Christian charity. , and two workers from the Moses Project were in court ready to escort him to the centre in Nottinghamshire.

Mr Scarborough asked the judge to defer sentence to give Costello a chance to reduce his dependence on pills and to give himself the hope of a law-abiding future.

Judge Howard Crowson deferred sentence for six months and told Costello: “You, at the moment, have an opportunity to prove that you can put it behind you, to get behind some of the problems that you have at the moment.

“You have to prove that to me, so we will meet again in six months. If you have demonstrated you have maintained your progress in the project you will be allowed to continue it, but if you fail you will not.”

Costello, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to three charges of theft from trains on January 28.