A FORMER heroin addict broke into a car because he needed goods to sell so he could buy vitamins, a court was told.Christopher Thomson appeared before South East Suffolk Magistrates Court charged with breaking into the car and stealing ten cds.
A FORMER heroin addict broke into a car because he needed goods to sell so he could buy vitamins, a court was told.
Christopher Thomson appeared before South East Suffolk Magistrates Court charged with breaking into the car and stealing ten cds.
The court heard Thomson had smashed a window of a Nissan car parked in Westerfield Road, Ipswich on October 24 after he spotted the cds inside.
Prosecutor Lesla Small said the cds were worth £100 and the damage Thomson caused had been valued at £1,200.
Thomson admitted the charge and in mitigation Nikki Miller said he was a former heroin addict who had contracted hepatitis by using a dirty needle.
She said the disease had affected his liver and he now relied on vitamin tablets and drinks to improve his health.
On the day of the incident Thomson had run out of money and needed to buy some vitamins so he resorted to breaking into the car, Mrs Miller said.
She also told the court he had made efforts to leave his former life of drugs and crime behind him.
Magistrate Fenella Blastland told Thomson he would receive a 12-month conditional discharge. He was also told to pay £150 in compensation to the car owner and contribute £15 to the prosecution costs.
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