A HEROIN addict's pleas to a judge to extend his drug treatment and testing order fell on deaf ears when he appeared at court yesterday.

Phillip Murray, 31, was congratulated by a judge at Teesside Crown Court for not re-offending during the course of the 12-month order.

However, the judge, Recorder Tim Hirst, said he could only change the requirements of the order. He had no powers to lengthen it, since the term had already been fixed by another judge.

He said that the probation service was "effectively waving goodbye" to Murray, who had originally been convicted for three offences of burglary.

Murray, of Acclom Street, Hartlepool, had told the court that he wanted the order to continue when it came to an end on May 23.

He was said to have shown a recent improvement as a result of being given the order and had returned a number of negative tests for heroin and cocaine in the past month.