A MAN who has been a drug addict since the age of 12 has been given a second community order -- a week after he avoided a jail sentence at Crown Court.

Matthew Stuart Gray, 29, committed a spate of offences before the order he was given last week by a judge for burglary.

Gray, who is due to go into rehabilitation, was warned by Burnley magistrates he was being given his last chance. The chairman told him: "Things seem fairly positive. You are going to get a good chance at the rehabilitation centre. We hope that's successful."

The defendant of Roundhill Lane, Haslingden, admitted theft from a vehicle, theft of a water feature and driving with excess alcohol.

He was given a 12-month community order with supervision, to run concurrent with the crown court order, and banned from driving for three years. He was ordered pay £50 compensation.

Nick Cassidy, defending, said Gray had been a drug user since he was 12 and addicted to heroin since he was 17.

The defendant, who had an horrendous record, was now seeing the community drugs team. He had recently applied to go into rehabilitation in Lancaster.