A FORMER heroin addict whose new baby had to be weaned off methadone has been jailed for 21 months for burgling his grandma's neighbour.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Glen Nelson, 31, whose baby has been in hospital after being born with a dependence on the heroin substitute, told police it was his co-defendant Victoria Cook's idea as she had wanted the microwave from the sheltered accommodation.

Nelson, who has 15 previous convictions for burglary, was sent to prison after Judge Raymond Bennett said the victim may never get over what had happened. The defendant, of Pilmuir Road, Blackburn, admitted burglary.

Mother of two Cook, 36, a cancer victim, of Norbreck Close, Blackburn, was put on probation for 18 months, after admitting stealing ham from the property. John Bailey, prosecuting, said the complainant lived alone. She went out and returned to find her back door had been vandalised to allow entry.

She had recalled seeing the two defendants hanging around when she left and the defendants' fingerprints were later found at the property.

When Nelson and Cook were arrested, both admitted they had been in the house . Nelson said the panelling from the back door had been removed with a screwdriver but claimed the raid was Cook's idea.

Philip Andrews, defending Nelson, said the offence was in many ways a mean one and the defendant expressed remorse and regret for what he did.

At the time he was involved with heroin, but there had been a four year gap in his offending before he committed the offence. He could keep away from crime for substantial periods of time.

Mr Andrews said Nelson was no longer involved with his co-accused, but had a partner who had had a heroin problem in the past .The two of them had done everything they could to seek help and conquer their addictions. Both were still heroin free and had not returned to the drug.

The couple had a child who had been in hospital being weaned off methadone and the defendant knew there was a danger of that child being taken away from them. He was well motivated to rid himself of his habit.

Nick Kennedy, for Cook, said the defendant had just gone into the property and taken some ham when the door was open. She had not gone in with a view to stealing anything and did not take part in the removal of any other items of property from the house at all.

The defendant had had an appalling time from her health point of view in recent years. She had had pelvic inflammation, followed by a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy and had then suffered abdominal cancer.

Cook had been on a liquid diet for two years, had been depressed but had successfully managed to look after her children. She could only eat foodstuffs which did not need chewing and that was why she took the ham.