A DRUG addict who ransacked a woman's home has kept his freedom after a judge was told of his family's bid to save his life.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Jason Gregory, 27, had been introduced to heroin by friends to help him cope with the tragic loss of his two-year-old daughter who died after a car reversed over her.

His mother wept as she told Recorder Alistair Webster, QC, how she and the rest of their family had moved to Burnley from Northern Ireland after her son would cry on the telephone and say he needed them.

She had not known the defendant was using drugs, but had wondered why he was happy one moment and depressed the next. When she found out, Gregory had been put under "house arrest" to keep him away from his associates and to prevent him paying for his habit with his life.

Gregory, of Waddington Avenue, Burnley, was jailed for nine months, suspended for two years, and a 12-month suspended sentence supervision order was imposed.

He admitted burglary in 1998 and had no previous convictions. David Pickup, prosecuting, said while the burglary victim was away from her Eastham Street home in Burnley, it was ransacked and property worth £2,087 taken.

Gregory was arrested after his fingerprints were found in the house.

He denied the burglary, but said he may have known the complainant and been in her home with others.

Paul Hague, defending, said Gregory came to this country at the age of 20.

He had been sent by his mother to get him away from the influences of paramilitary groups who began recruiting at that age.

He had a young child and she had been killed when a car reversed over her.

The defendant took her loss very badly indeed, suffered depression, sought medical attention and was given Prozac, with which he did not react well.