Theft to pay drug dealer
A Somercotes man who stole computer games gear from a supermarket was under pressure to pay a drug dealer, a court has been told.
Adam Holmes was watched by a CCTV operator as he stuffed three PlayStation controllers worth £120 into a carrier bag in Tesco, Alfreton.
“He was stopped. He said he was desperate for money to feed his heroin addiction and he was going to sell the items,” Lynn Manning, prosecuting, told Chesterfield magistrates.
Holmes, 30, of Castle Drive, admitted the September 25 theft and was fined £88, with £85 costs.
He had previously been cautioned for possessing drugs and convicted of an offence relating to a former partner.
His solicitor, Phil Bloore, said he was addicted to heroin aged 18 but he kept off the drug for eight years until splitting up with his partner.
“On the rebound from that he started taking heroin again. He didn’t want to be heavily reliant on it so he took cannabis to wean himself off it.
“But now he can’t stop taking cannabis,” Mr Bloore told magistrates.
The court heard that Holmes built up a £70 cannabis debt and his dealer issued threats to him by text message.
“He felt under pressure to raise the money and was caught stealing.
“He is now repaying the £70 in instalments and he needs to go back to his GP to get some more help,” said Mr Bloore, adding that Holmes was on a methadone programme.
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Monday 20 May 2013
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