A HABITUAL offender was told he had been a "fool to himself" by not taking advantage of the enormous amount of help being given to him.

Blackburn magistrates heard Frederick Sagar was receiving support from numerous agencies but had still committed two shop thefts and a burglary in order to fund his alcohol addiction.

Sagar, 51, of Burnley Road, Accrington, pleaded, guilty to stealing beef joints worth £66 from Aldi, air fresheners worth £55 from Home Bargains and burglary at the Carers Link charity shop on Blackburn Road, Accrington, with intent to steal. He was ordered to pay £171 compensation.

Passing sentence the chairman of the magistrates said Sagar had been a fool to himself.

"We have only stood back from a custodial sentence because of all the people who are trying to help you," said the chairman.

"If you appear back before this court the next bench may well not be so lenient."

Natasha Clark, prosecuting, said as Sagar left Aldi with some joints of meat there was a verbal altercation with staff but he continued walking out without making any attempt to pay.

The manager of the charity shop went in to work in the morning and discovered a rear door glass panel had been smashed.

" A small amount of blood was found on a desk and this provided a DNA match to the defendant," said Miss Clark.

She said Sagar had 99 convictions for 150 offences including numerous burglary and theft offences.

He had been made subject to a community order in April.

Gareth Price, defending, said his client was receiving support from Red Rose Recovery, Inspire, Stepping Stones, the Probation Service, Social Services and the police.

"An awful lot of people are working to help him," said Mr Price.

"Issues with alcohol are behind his offending and work is being done to address that."