A SHOPLIFTER’S attempt to get home before a court-imposed curfew got him in trouble with the law, York magistrates heard.

Heroin user Gerard Mark Ward, 41, was given the three-month order for possession of heroin and failure to attend court. It confined him to a house in Orchard Lane, Barkstone Ash, between 7pm to 7am each night.

But his solicitor Kevin Blount said, after the court case was concluded, he needed to go to Selby to collect his methadone prescription before going home and having got it, he found he didn’t have the money for his fare.

Knowing he had to be home by 7pm, he made the “foolish decision” to go stealing to raise cash.

Kathryn Reeve, prosecuting, said staff at Farm Foods spotted him stealing seven packets of coffee worth £12.25 and when he was stopped outside the shop, he had two stolen tubs of baby milk on him worth £19.98.

Police sent him in custody back to the magistrates who had given him the curfew. They extended it to four months to cover all offences.

Ward pleaded guilty to two offences of shoplifting, and was warned if he continues to commit crimes, he will be jailed.

A community order with supervision that expires next October was ordered to continue.