DESPERATION led to a recovering heroin addict stealing three pork joints from an Asda supermarket, a court heard.

Barry Waters, 32, of Haughton Road, Darlington, pleaded guilty to stealing from the Blackett Road supermarket when he appeared before the town’s magistrates today (Thursday, March 28).

Prosecutor John Garside said Waters had been given a 12 week prison sentence for a similar offence last October and described how shortly before midnight on March 18, Waters was seen by Asda staff putting the meat under his jacket and walking off.

Mitigating, Stephen Andrews said that although Waters had 56 previous convictions, since getting out of prison he was sticking to a methadone programme and was not stealing for drug money anymore.

Mr Andrews said the reason for the latest theft was because Waters had missed a job centre appointment so his benefit was stopped and he was unable to feed himself.

“Rather than drug offending, it was more like an act of desperation,” said Mr Andrews.

Magistrates gave Waters a 12-month conditional discharge and advised him to continue his voluntary drug rehabilitation programme.