A FORMER crack cocaine addict has admitted stealing from two shops after becoming depressed by a lack of money.

Philip Dutson, aged 23, admitted stealing £220.76 worth of pharmaceutical, electrical and food items belonging to Morrisons service station on Sunday, December 19.

Dutson, of Belmont Road, Malvern, also admitted stealing clothes and shoes worth £173.50 from Matalan the same day.

The offences took place while he was still on licence from prison for an attempted robbery and possession of a firearm.

Samantha Webley, prosecuting, said Dutson selected items to steal and concealed them in a pushchair.

She said: “He said he had stolen all the items for his family because he couldn’t provide for them because he was signed sick off work and his family came first before the consequences.”

The court was also told the offences were committed when Dutson was on bail for other shoplifting crimes in Burnley.

Brian O’Connell, defending, said Dutson had committed the robbery because he had a £100 a day crack cocaine habit but was now off drugs.

Mr O’Connell said: “He got work earning £300 per week.

“He has a partner with a fiveyear- old and they both have a four-month-old.”

“When the baby was born he had a recurrence of an old motorcycle injury and went off sick.

“He fell down the stairs and became long-term sick.

“That put him into a fit of depression and he lost his job.”

Mr O’Connell said Dutson and his partner were £2,500 in debt and had sold their laptop, TV and Wii but he had stolen the items for Christmas gifts.

District Judge Nigel Cadbury sentenced him to a community order for 12 months and ordered him to pay £85 costs.