A TEENAGER who stole charity boxes containing donations for the tsunami disaster appeal to buy drugs has been jailed.

Teesside Crown Court was told Stephen Sparrow did not give a damn that the money had been donated by Teesside residents in the wake of the tragedy.

Jailing him for eight months for theft and burglary, Judge Peter Fox told him: "So many people have opened their hearts, their wallets and their purses, to help those who were in a desperate and dreadful plight on the other side of the world and you did not give a damn.

"Instead you helped yourself, for your drugs."

The court heard Sparrow, of Keithlands Avenue, Stockton, went into shops on Teesside on Sunday, January 9.

Miriam Rasoul, prosecuting, said: "The charity boxes contained cash that had been donated by customers in support of the victims of the tsunami.

"The defendant claimed in interview he committed the thefts for fun and because he was bored."

The 19-year-old's first target was Costcutter, in Lanehouse Road, Thornaby, which he entered at about 7.50 am.

The court heard staff became suspicious of Sparrow and moved the charity box from the top of the counter.

However, he distracted them and made off with the money.

He then made his way to Mills shop, on Oxbridge Lane, Stockton, and snatched another charity box.

At 9.10am, he went into Mills store, in Station Road, Eaglescliffe, where he distracted a member of staff and made off with more tsuanami donations before visiting Bells store, Westbury Street, Thornaby, where he carried out the same crime.

Police spotted Sparrow in a Vauxhall car, driven by an unknown man, at 9.45am on the A66. He evaded officers before eventually being stopped on Elm Tree estate, Stockton, and arrested.

Peter Sabiston, defending, said his client pleaded guilty to the offences: "It was an unpleasant act given the circumstances and recent history. He is sorry."