A man has been jailed after admitting a spate of thefts from Huddersfield supermarkets.
Dermot Merrigan, of Eleanor Street in Fartown, was before Kirklees magistrates yesterday.
He admitted stealing over £400 worth of goods from stores in the town.
The court heard that the 26-year-old had struggled with a drug habit.
The first incident happened on June 22 when Merrigan stole meat from Marsh Co-op using a bag he had taken into the store with him.
He was detained and the goods were recovered.
On July 2 he swiped six bottles of Jack Daniel’s whiskey worth £180 from Sainsbury’s in Shorehead. He ran off along the canal towpath but dropped his back, smashing two of the bottles.
Merrigan tested positive for having opiates in his system following his arrest.
He also asked magistrates to take into consideration another theft of £180 of goods from the same store as well as stealing £44 of items from Sainsbury’s in Market Street when sentencing him.
Ian Whiteley, mitigating, said that his client was originally from Ireland but became involved in the Huddersfield drug scene when he moved to the town.
He added: “Mr Merrigan wants to try and stop taking drugs. But he will have trouble convincing the court that he’s motivated to comply with a community order.”
Magistrates jailed him for 20 weeks.
Merrigan will still have to pay £150 court charge and £80 victim surcharge.
