A FORMER businessman and voluntary worker who raided a woman's home in the grip of a heroin addiction, has been jailed for two years.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Jason Wildman, 30, now wanted to kick the habit which had had a devastating effect on his health and was willing to undergo any treatment or counselling on offer.

His victim, who had returned home to find ornaments broken and strewn on the floor, her CD system, video recorder and jewellery missing, had felt sick by what she saw.

She was unemployed and unable to replace the property taken by the defendant.

Sentencing Wildman, who used to run his own landscape gardening business and had worked voluntarily in Romanian orphanages, Judge Raymond Bennett said he had to decide how to live his own life -- but he could not let it affect other people.

He said those who suffered burglaries at their homes took a long time to get over it and the public expected the people responsible to be put behind bars.

Wildman, of Princess Street, Accrington, admitted burglary at the property, where goods to the value of £1,060 were taken and £400-worth of damage caused to a door.

Mark Fireman, prosecuting, said the defendant's fingerprints were found on property in the burgled house, but Wildman could give no explanation and denied any involvement in the offence. Jacob Dyer, defending, said the offence was committed during the day when the premises was unoccupied. The burglary was carried out in desperation, to feed a drug habit, but Wildman was now motivated to do something about that.

He had not received any treatment for the problem and had suffered considerably because of taking drugs. He had thrombosis in his leg due to injecting heroin and had had operations and treatment for the devastating effects on his health.

Wildman was introduced to drugs in 1988 when he received his first term of custody and when he went back inside, he came out with a heavier addiction then when he went in.

Mr Dyer added that the defendant had a partner and child and had been told by his partner that if he did not rid himself of drugs, the relationship was over.

He was now willing to undergo any treatment or counselling on offer for his addiction.

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