A man turned to drugs when a relative fell to his death from a hotel balcony ... and now he has been sent to prison for his offences.

Jalali Ali led an exemplary life but then got hooked on crack cocaine following the tragedy in Spain.

He started offending to fund his habit and on November 6 was caught stealing bottles of perfume from Primark.

Ali, of Water Street in Springwood , appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court in custody after being convicted of the offence in his absence.

Andy Wills, prosecuting, said that Ali was observed by a security officer monitoring the New Street store selecting three bottles of perfume worth a total of £24.

The 50-year-old concealed the bottles on him but was followed and detained as he left the store.

Ali admitted that he stole the perfume to fund his crack cocaine habit and he tested positive for having the class A drug upon his arrest.

Mr Wills told magistrates that Ali had nine offences, eight for theft, on his record.

Last October he received a suspended jail sentence for two matters of shoplifting and the new offence put him in breach of it.

Ian Whiteley, mitigating, told magistrates that his client came from Iran to live in the UK in 2004.

He said: “His first offence before the court was in March 2016 and prior to that he was a person of impeccable character.

“What happened to change the situation is that a very close relative of his went on holiday in Spain and died after falling off a balcony from a hotel.

“He’s got his suspicions as to how that’s occurred and it’s had a profound effect upon him.

“He turned to drugs, crack cocaine, and had never taken drugs in his life.”

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Mr Whiteley added that despite his offending Ali had never been to custody before.

He told magistrates that If he was sent to prison he would be unable to contact his relatives during the upcoming New Year celebrations in his home country.

Mr Whiteley said to them: “The key issue is his drug habit and this can be resolved. If you give him the opportunity he can be an honest member of society.”

Magistrates activated Ali’s suspended sentence in full and added on extra time for the new offence, jailing him for a total of 12 weeks.

He will have to pay £115 victim surcharge upon his release.