A BURGLAR who turned to drink and drugs after finding his mother dead, has gone to jail for 21 months.

David Wallace offended repeatedly on bail and went off committing crime almost immediately after pleading guilty to other offences in court, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Sentencing Wallace, Recorder Andrew Edis, QC, sitting with two magistrates, said previous courts had dealt with him in a kind way because he had suffered serious personal hardship. In response to their "mercy," he had committed a lot of offences. He went on: "Its quite clear that your offending is motivated by drug addiction. That doesn't make the position any better. It makes it worse, really."

Wallace, of Pennine Road, Bacup, admitted two burglaries, theft, common assault, handling stolen goods, no insurance, possessing heroin and cannabis, assault causing actual bodily harm and failing to surrender.

Kendal Lindley, prosecuting, said Wallace walked into both burgled houses and walked out again, after being spotted by the occupants. He picked up a purse in one, but it was recovered. In other incidents, he kicked a store detective's leg after he was detained and taken to the office at Bacup Co-op. As he was being arrested in January, he was involved in a struggle with a police officer and the officer trapped his finger and broke it. Wallace was bailed several times and given two deferred sentences.

Michael Lavery, defending, said Wallace had had every chance and now accepted "wholeheartedly: he would be going to custody for the first time the house burglaries were "sneak thefts," and he had not offered violence. Until 1996, the defendant had had an excellent work record, lived happily at home and not been in trouble.

At that time, his mother had become ill, a doctor had diagnosed influenza, but Wallace later found her dead in bed. Shortly after he lost his job and the combination of the two factors led him to turn to drink and heroin. His family then had great financial difficulties as debts built up as Wallace became "ensnared in the heroin trap." He was given every chance by courts to sort the problem out, but became addicted to heroin again, after once having got clean.

Wallace showed remorse and was sorry for the behaviour and was particularly ashamed of the worry he had caused his sick father.

Mr Lavery went on: "He is essentially a decent young man. He is aware if he goes to custody today that heroin has ruined his life and he now had to pay the price."

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