A Forfar man has been sentenced to four months in prison after admitting stealing to fund his drug addiction.
At Forfar Sheriff Court on Thursday Steven Clarke (27), of Lordburn Place, pleaded guilty to stealing DVDs worth £115.85 from Tesco while on bail for an earlier theft at the Factory Store in Castle Street.
Bob Bruce, agent for the defence, said that Clarke had resorted to shoplifting for fund a heroin addiction which he had developed following the death of his mother ten years previously.
He added that Clarke was attempting to break his habit and had enrolled in a drug reduction scheme and had been taking methadone.
He requested that Sheriff Kevin Veal consider alternatives to a custodial sentence.
However Sheriff Veal said he had no option but to impose a prison sentence as the “bail aggravation was so serious.”
He said: “The goods were not recovered and the offence was committed just eight days after you were given bail.”
Sheriff Veal also took into consideration Clarke’s previous 21 convictions when imposing sentence.
Clarke will appear at Forfar Sheriff Court on September 30 in connection with the original theft.
