A FORMER addict turned back to drugs after discovering his cancer had returned.

Matthew Buckley, 34, appeared before Kirklees magistrates yesterday.

He admitted stealing watches from a supermarket in a bid to buy heroin.

His solicitor told magistrates that he had discovered that he faced further treatment after his testicular cancer came back.

The Huddersfield bench was told that the theft happened at Sainsbury’s in Dewsbury on October 24.

Buckley was witnessed entering the store with an open rucksack, which he then filled with ladies watches worth £118.

The rucksack was lined with foil in a bid to evade store detectors.

Buckley was detained as he left the premises and the goods were recovered.

Police station drugs tests showed that he had taken both opiates and cocaine.

Magistrates heard that Buckley, of Walker Street in Dewsbury, had kept out of trouble for a year before the incident.

Simon Lindley, mitigating, said that the last time he was in court his client had been made subject to a drugs rehabilitation requirement.

He had benefited from this but then returned to using heroin.

This happened because Buckley fell into depression after he found out that he had cancer again following a scare in the past.

Mr Lindley said: “He has to have chemotherapy and may have to have a further operation.

“That has prompted his depressed state and he has returned to using heroin.

“This then led to this offence.”

Magistrates were told that Buckley would welcome assistance in beating his addiction again.

The bench agreed to give him a community order with a drugs rehabilitation requirement.

Buckley was also told to pay £60 victim surcharge and £25 towards court costs.