A MAN who sought solace in drugs after losing his partner because of his drinking was given a chance to reform by a court yesterday.

John Steven Bassett pleaded guilty to three theft offences, committed between July 24 and September 16, and admitted he had been in possession of heroin when police raided his flat in Strawberry Dale, Harrogate, on September 6.

Caroline May, prosecuting, told the town's magistrates that Bassett, 33, stole six bottles of alcohol worth £99 from the Waitrose supermarket.

He had then walked from Debenhams with two pairs of jeans worth a total of £125 in a holdall he had hanging round his neck and had stolen food valued at £19 from Asda.

Granville Rooley, mitigating, said Bassett's troubles had started when he and his partner separated two years ago because he was misusing alcohol - since then he had begun misusing drugs.

Unless he got help in moving away from drug-taking the potential for re-offending would remain high, he said.

After studying probation reports on Bassett, court chairman Vivien Crabb told him prison had been given serious consideration.

But instead he would be under probation supervision for 18 months during which time he would have to take part in a drug rehabilitation programme aimed at reducing his dependency on illegal substances. Costs of £70 were also imposed.