A PERSISTENT thief has been spared a jail sentence to give him a chance to overcome his heroin addiction.

David Tobin, 28, of Greenbank Road, Darlington, appeared before Sedgefield magistrates yesterday, and admitted stealing three jars of coffee from Safeway, in Darlington, on Saturday.

He is already serving a community rehabilitation order for a theft committed in September.

Peter Boddy, mitigating, said Tobin had a string of previous convictions. He was a heroin addict, but was awaiting treatment at the Elmfield Centre, Darlington.

Mr Boddy said: "He has been on the waiting list and in actual fact he believes he is the next person on the list to be treated. His heroin addiction is the root of his problems."

Chairman of the bench Terry Farley told Tobin: "We accept that you are trying to get rid of this horrible heroin addiction, but at the same time you can't just keep going into shops and stealing things."

Tobin was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £55 costs.

Mr Farley said: "We are giving you the opportunity to kick this habit and we hope you get this interview and treatment to cure it."