A HEROIN addict is at the mercy of the probation service today after refusing to go under the needle.Gary Sutton refused a course of acupuncture designed to help him cure his heroin habit.

A HEROIN addict is at the mercy of the probation service today after refusing to go under the needle.

Gary Sutton refused a course of acupuncture designed to help him cure his heroin habit.

South East Suffolk Magistrates Court revoked a drug treatment and testing order they issued at an earlier hearing to give him another chance.

But they heard the 34-year-old was determined to beat the habit, because he feared he would end up dead if he failed.

Sutton, of Marigold Avenue, Ipswich, was given the DTTO so he could receive help with his drug problem.

But the probation service recommended it be revoked as Sutton had refused acupuncture treatment and the order would soon be breached.

It was suggested that Sutton be re-sentenced for three shoplifting offences by way of a community rehabilitation order.

Nigel Innes, mitigating for Sutton, said his client had been abusing drugs since he was 16 and had been a heroin addict for more than 15 years.

He said: "I'm not surprised he is having problems with the DTTO. Fifteen years of drug abuse and then asking him to come down off drugs in one month."

He said Sutton was taking the heroin substitute methadone to help him become free of heroin and crack cocaine, which he had also used.

Mr Innes told the court Sutton had taken chicken fillets from the Bramford Lane Co-op store on two occasions on September 22 and ornaments valued at £7.50 from New Style, in Upper Brook Street, on October 8 because he needed money for food.

He said his client, who had a record for shop lifting and dishonesty, needed help with his addiction.

Mr Innes said: "The will and the desire is still there to get on top of his drugs problem. He wants to stop offending, he is suffering from hepatitis B, if he continues the way he has he will simply end up dead and they are his words and not mine."

Magistrates revoked the DTTO and re-sentenced Sutton to a three-month rehabilitation order so he would be under the supervision of the probation service.

l South East Suffolk Magistrates revoked another DTTO but in the case of Kelly Alexander it was for the opposite reason. The 32-year-old, of Bartholomew Street, Ipswich had complied fully with the order and had become a reformed character.