Thieving drug addict avoids prison

A FORMER drug addict who stole money from her employer to support her habit has narrowly avoided a prison sentence.

Janice Griggs, 35, was sentenced to an 18-month drug treatment and testing order at Ipswich Crown Court after previously pleading guilty to the theft of £390.

The court heard that on November 23, a customer spotted the mother-of-two stealing money from the till at Trimley Stores in Trimley St Martin where she worked.

CCTV footage taken inside the shop clearly showed Griggs, of The Walk, Felixstowe, taking the money, which she later used to buy crack cocaine.

Griggs had only left prison in July after being sentenced to eight months for obtaining cash by deception.

Defending, Christine Hayes, told the court that Griggs had not taken drugs since leaving custody in July.

She said: "All was going well. She had not received any counselling and had been left to her own devices but she had stopped taking drugs."

It emerged that Griggs had been regularly attending the Iceni Project - a Suffolk-based support group for those affected by drug misuse.

Miss Hayes said: "She is determined that this will be successful. It is unfortunate that this kind of support was not around for her last year."

Sentencing, Judge John Holt told Griggs it was plain that an over-dependence on drugs had led her to offend.

He said: "Having been sentenced to an eight month imprisonment for the breach of trust, you then, on your release, managed to get someone else to trust you and stole money from them as well. It is starting to look very unattractive indeed.

"I accept you did regret it and felt ashamed of it. Your self-respect will nose dive if you continue this way."

He sentenced Griggs to an 18-month drug treatment and testing order requiring her to take drug tests twice a week.

He said: "You seem to have got your mind round your problems and you show every intention of addressing them."