A convicted robber who went on a stealing spree after relapsing back into drug misuse has escaped prison.

Christopher Taylor admitted to a string of thefts from Wilko in Birstall and the Dewsbury branch of Asda.

The 37-year-old said he stole to fund drugs after misplacing his prescription for heroin substitute methadone.

He took goods worth £1,000 from the two stores between June 18 and August 2.

Kirklees magistrates were told that during this period the 37-year-old targeted Wilko based in Birstall Shopping Park four times.

A member of staff only caught him in the act once when he left in his car but managed to take down the vehicle details.

Workers then went back through the CCTV footage and discovered that Taylor was responsible for the previous thefts.

On July 25 he became aggressive at Tesco in Northgate, Cleckheaton, when a member of staff suspected him of shoplifting.

Prosecutor Alex Bozman said that he made some threats towards them and he pleaded guilty to a charge of using threatening behaviour.

Taylor was bailed by police but was then caught stealing £350 worth of items including cleaning equipment, a microwave and kettle from Asda in Mill Street West on August 2.

In 2014 he was jailed for robbery and there was a gap in his offending following his release in November the same year.

Wilko at Birstall

Craig Sutcliffe, mitigating, explained that his client had been out of trouble for years.

He told magistrates: “He thought when he got the previous court order he was a stabilised on a methadone script.

“This spate of offences then occurred through his own fault due to losing his methadone prescription.

“There was an all night chemist my client believed was going to be open but it wasn’t and he lost his prescription.

“He began using drugs again which is why these offences occurred in a short period of time.”

Magistrates heard that Taylor, of Hammond Crescent in Bradford, has since obtained a methadone prescription again.

District Judge Michael Fanning, who joined a bench of magistrates for the hearing, told Taylor that despite his lengthy record he’d clearly had a significant drug problem which needed to be addressed.

He told him: “Unless the drug issue is dealt with you’ll be in and out of court.

“We will suspend your jail sentence so that efforts can be made to address the underlying problem.”

Taylor, who appeared in custody, was sentenced to a suspended prison term of six months with a community order including a drug rehabilitation requirement.

As he was led away from the dock by security officers he said: “Thank you, it’s a terrible affliction.”