A MOTHER who stole to feed her heroin habit and drove illegally to visit her infant son who was in hospital for drugs treatment, escaped a prison sentence yesterday.

Donna Marie Cooper, 26, was put on probation for two years by Harrogate magistrates and told by court chairman Janet Frankland: "People are actually bending over backwards here to help you and I hope you appreciate it. The onus is now on you."

Cooper, of Bramham Drive, Harrogate had pleaded guilty to three counts of shoplifting and one of failing to answer bail. She also admitted twice driving without a licence, insurance or test certificate, and was banned from the roads for two years.

Jim Withyman, prosecuting, said Cooper had stolen a nightdress from the British Heart Foundation shop, a pair of shoes from Marks and Spencer and a bottle of aftershave from Boots.

In mitigation, Geoffrey Rogers said the low-value items would have been sold to feed a heroin addiction which Cooper was now determined to overcome. She was receiving medical help.

When she had been stopped while driving in Lancaster Park Road, outside Harrogate District Hospital, she had been going there to visit her young child who was on a detoxification programme.