A MAN stole toys to order to clear off his drugs debts.

Daniel Bullivant, of the town's Alexander Park, admitted two toy theft offences from Woolworths and Boyes in Scaroborough, and stealing alcohol and coffee worth £158 from the Co-op, in Whitby, all during last November.

The 29-year-old was jailed for nine months at York Crown Court after also pleading guilty to trying to pervert the course of justice by giving the police false details.

Prosecutor Peter Moulson said Bullivant used a hold-all in which he put the toys, but was spotted by store detectives. In Whitby he was seen to pick items from shelves and leave without paying.

For Bullivant, Nicholas Semple said he had a heroin addiction and was in debt to his supplier. Therefore, in order to pay it off, he was given instructions as to exactly what toy he should take.

Jailing Bullivant, Judge David Bentley said: "You are yet another young man addicted to drugs and that has led you into trouble."