A persistent offender who turned to drugs after finding his partner dead begged magistrates to send him to prison to help him get clean.
Dean Collins said he wanted to be locked up to detox from his substance misuse and finally get the help he needed.
His wish was granted and he was locked up for two months after admitting to stealing from a Huddersfield town centre store.
Collins, of Greenwood Street in Primrose Hill, pleaded guilty to the theft from Boots when he appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court.
Prosecutor Vanessa Jones said that he targeted the King Street store on June 23.
The 39-year-old was stole two bottles of fragrance worth £110 and was identified later, although the goods were not recovered.
He told police that he’d sold them on but couldn’t remember much about the theft.
Magistrates heard that he tested positive for the misuse of cocaine upon his arrest.
His solicitor Sonia Kidd explained that he’d gone through the ‘incredibly sad’ experience of waking up one morning and finding that his long-term partner had passed away beside him.
She said: “He’s been struggling thereafter in relation to that loss and his use of substances and alcohol has increased.
“He has said: ‘Can you ask magistrates to send me to custody because I need to sort myself out and address the difficulties I have’.
“This is what he needs at the moment and thereafter he would be subject to post-sentence supervision and would have the support.
“It’s incredibly difficult for me as a defence advocate to say please send my client to prison, but in this instance Mr Collins feels that it’s in his best interest.”
Magistrates were told that Collins’ offending had recently become more frequent as he was continuing to abuse alcohol and street drugs and custody would give him the chance to detox and change his life.
Sentencing Collins to eight weeks in custody, bench chairman Graham Commons said that he felt there was a gap in the criminal system to deal with people like him.
He told him: “We don’t normally get customers as cooperative as you, so thank you for being cooperative.
“All I can say is when you’re in custody please try and get the help that you’re asking for.”
Collins will have to pay £115 victim surcharge upon his release from prison.
