A HEROIN addict used a stolen bank card to buy cigarettes to pay back her drug dealer, a court heard.

Charlene Amelia Watson also stole Yankee candles and an aftershave set to sell on and fund her habit.

The 29-year-old appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday when she pleaded guilty to fraud by misrepresentation, attempted fraud, handling stolen goods and theft from a shop.

John Garside, prosecuting, said: “The theft of the candles took place on January 5 this year, the defendant entered Boots on High Row just before 11.30am on the Sunday morning, selected a number of Yankee candles and an aftershave set, concealed them in a bag and left the store.

“She was identified and interviewed by police and told them she intended to sell the candles because they sell for about ten pounds each. The items were not recovered.”

He added: “On January 8 a car was entered when it was parked and left unlocked. Bank cards and other items were stolen. The defendant was given the bank card and used it at 6.19pm at Sainsbury's to buy cigarettes for £17.40. She then tried to use the card at a BP Garage but it had been stopped by that point.

“She was interviewed and denied going into the car. She said he [a man] entered the car and stole the cards and she owed him money for heroin he had gave her earlier.”

Ben Pegman, mitigating, said: “The background to these offences is that she received a custodial prison sentence in September and was released on Christmas Eve.

“She says she tried to claim Universal Credit but it was refused and she did not receive any payments until January 19. It is within this context that these offences occur.

“I would ask the court to look beyond the fact that these offences happened so soon after her release from prison, it is a long time to go without any money to feed yourself. There is also a problem with drug addiction which has not gone away.

"In terms of the fraud matters, there was a debt, she purchased cigarettes and they were given in lieu of the debt."

A probation officer said Watson was on a Methadone programme but still using up to two bags of heroin per day.

She said: “She shows very little motivation to stop using drugs despite the encouragement of her offender manager. We had a discussion around why she is wasting so much of her life and she does not seem to want to do anything about it. She feels like this is actually what she does for a lifestyle.

“She is not in great health, she suffers with COPD and is therefore not suitable for unpaid work.”

Chair of the Bench, Colling Morris, told Watson, of Corporation Road, Darlington, that she was “in an unenviable position”.

He added: “There is an offer of help from probation to get you out of this mess that you have found yourself in.”

Watson was given a 12 month community order and must pay compensation of £290.91 to Boots and £17.40 to bank card owner which will be added to the existing £4,865 owed to the court.