THEFT of a pair of shoes from Debenhams was a "slight hiccup" in the transformation of former drug addict Shaun Derry.

Blackburn magistrates heard the ladies shoes had nothing to do with funding the addiction he had kicked following a custodial sentence.

It had been motivated by the desire to give his sister a birthday present.

Derry, 36, of Ballantrae Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to shoplifting and failing to surrender to bail.

He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and fined £20 with £69 costs.

The court heard that the offence was committed in July last year and Derry had failed to appear in court to answer his bail.

Michael Blacklidge, defending, said that at the time Derry had been off work for ten weeks after a fall from scaffolding.

"The motivation was to buy a birthday present for his sister and not raising money for drugs," said Mr Blacklidge.

He said Derry did not commit his first ofence until he was 26 and after that drugs had always been in the background and sometimes the foreground of his life.

"In 1997 he received a custodial sentence and he sees that as a turning point in his life," said Mr Blacklidge.

"On his release he received counselling and help and he has remained clean of drugs since then. I would ask you to treat this as a slight hiccup along the way and he assures me this will be his last appearance before the courts."