A HEROIN addict stole his father's television twice, a court heard yesterday.

Robert John Thornton, 19, of Stephenson Street, Ferryhill, County Durham, admitted two charges of theft and one of burglary at Teesside Crown Court.

He was also sentenced on a breach of community punishment and rehabilitation order, which he received last year after admitting five charges of theft, two of burglary, two of attempted theft and two of failing to surrender.

Robin Turton, prosecuting, told the court that in July last year Thornton's father returned home to find his son had stolen the television.

A month later the son returned and stole the replacement TV, along with a video recorder and other items.

Among his crimes, he said, were the theft of two charity boxes and several shoplifting offences.

Jamie Hill, for Thornton, said his client had never been in trouble before becoming addicted to heroin, an addiction he had been battling for two years. He said Thornton had a £40-a-day heroin habit.

Recorder Alaric Dalziel said Thornton had wasted the chance he had been given when sentenced to the community punishment and rehabilitation order. He sentenced him to 12 months in a young offenders' institution.