Addict given his last chance

Nov 1 2007 by Gary Marsh, Cynon Valley Leader

A SHOPLIFTER said to be “caught in the heroin trap” has been given one last chance by a judge to go straight.

Lee Anthony, aged 33, of Heol Caradog, Penywaun, appeared before District Judge Vivian Manning-Davies at Rhondda Magistrates Court and admitted he breached a 20-week suspended sentence imposed by magistrates at Aberdare for offences of thefts from shops.

He also admitted two new offences of stealing spirits from supermarkets, while the subject of the suspended sentence.

Dan Williams, defending, said his client was a heavy drinker before becoming a heroin addict.

He said an element of the suspended sentence was a drug rehabilitation requirement and he had put in a considerable amount of effort to comply with that order which showed he was determined to sort himself out.

Mr Williams told the judge that after making all that effort Anthony had offended twice.

At the time he was under pressure because he owed money and made a bad decision so he could pay it off, said Mr Williams.

The judge said he would defer sentence until December 11.

“I will give him one last chance, but it will be his last,” said Mr Manning-Davies.

He told Anthony that invoking the suspended sentence would be any easy thing to do and the defendant could not complain if he had done so.

“You are caught in the heroin trap and it is a dreadful trap,” he told the defendant.

He warned Anthony to comply with the suspended sentence and not to commit any further criminal offences during the period of the deferment.