A FORMER heroin addict stole cash from a vulnerable man after promising to do his shopping for him.

Dylan Morgan also stole from David Jennings a watch, which he had asked to borrow so he could keep track of the time. Morgan, aged 28, of Deacle Place, Evesham, also attempted to burgle a charity shop in the town’s Queens Road.

At Worcester Magistrates Court, Liam Finch, prosecuting, said Morgan had been convicted of the theft, which took place in July, after a trial.

He said: “He takes money from a vulnerable person on the pretext of going shopping for that person. He takes a watch and doesn’t return.”

He said Morgan was on court bail when he attempted to kick down the door of John Martin charity, which provides crisis loans. He admitted the attempted burglary, which happened in September, and the court also heard he had failed to turn up to a court appearance in August.

Mark Sheward, defending, said Morgan had been a heroin user for 10 years before weaning himself off the drug earlier this year.

He said Morgan was given a methadone prescription which he initially supplemented with heroin, but was now reliant only on methadone.

He said: “One would hope as a result of removing himself from heroin he will be able to remove himself from any acquisitive crime.”

He asked magistrates not to send Morgan to jail, saying that heroin would be readily available there.

Magistrates sentenced him to 12 weeks in prison for the theft, four weeks for the attempted burglary and two weeks for the bail offence, all to run concurrently. The sentence was suspended for 12 months.

He must also abide by an electronically monitored curfew between 9pm and 7am for 12 weeks and was ordered to pay £25 compensation to Mr Jennings, £250 compensation for the damaged door and £100 towards court costs.