A MOTHER has been subjected to an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) after repeatedly stealing from Boots to feed her £30-a-day heroin addiction.

Deborah Stannard, of Outram Street, Darlington, avoided prison after magistrates told her she was being given a last chance to mend her ways.

South Durham Magistrates' Court heard how the 36-year-old stole hundreds of pounds worth of beauty products from Boots, in Northgate, Darlington, on a number of occasions.

James Thomas, prosecuting, said she was seen on security cameras twice on January 29 taking items from the store.

He said a female member of staff followed her into the street, radioed for police and then confronted her before Stannard was arrested.

Magistrates also heard how Stannard was caught stealing clothes from Matalan, in Darlington, in November, and from the town's Cancer Research charity shop last month, only hours after she was released from custody on police bail.

Stannard is already the subject of a Drug Treatment and Testing Order (DTTO).

Laura Saunders-Jerrom, in mitigation, said Stannard was trying to get her life back on track after suffering from clinical depression, debt, homelessness and having her children taken away from her.

Stannard pleaded guilty to six counts of theft from Boots, two further theft charges, three counts of failing to surrender to custody and a breach of her DTTO.

Magistrates told her to pay £103.30 in compensation to Boots, and sentenced her to a second DTTO and an Asbo, under which she must not enter any of Darlington's Boots stores.

Marshall Stevenson, store manager at Boots in Northgate, said: "She was already subject to a letter ban from our head office, so this is a welcome addition."