A YOUNG woman burglar who underwent a radical anti-drug implant to combat her heroin addiction has narrowly escaped a jail sentence.

Christine Wright, 24, who had been addicted to the drug for more than three years, walked free from York Crown Court yesterday with her accomplice, Tara Smith, 23.

The women, who live together in Bishopthorpe Road, York, had admitted stealing property worth £2,450 from a house in Emerald Street, York, in March last year.

The court heard how Wright had broken into the building only 14 days into a community rehabilitation order for another offence.

Her barrister, Geraldine Kelly, said Wright had voluntarily undergone the radical implant procedure - which neutralises the effect of heroin - since committing the crime.

She said her client had been addicted to heroin for three-and-a-half years before the implant, which is believed to cost about £1,000, was put in.

Sentencing both women to a two-year community rehabilitation order the Recorder Miss Deborah Sherwin told them that they were both fortunate to avoid a prison term.

She said: "You should both consider yourselves very fortunate because not that long ago there's no question you would have been sent down for 12 to 18 months.

"The fact that this was the first instance would probably not have been enough to save you."

She added that any breach of the order would see the defendants go to prison and that the "future is in your own hands". She added: "You both have the potential to put drug-taking behind you."

In mitigation, Ms Kelly said that although the premises were unoccupied when the burglary took place the "high" value of items taken was an aggravating factor.

Barrister Simon Jack said that Smith had been undertaking a "think first" programme which aims to deter people from crime.

A spokeswoman for the Stapleford Centre, in London, which uses naltrexone implants in the management of heroin abuse, said the drug implant blocks nerve receptors in the brain which are affected by heroin.

chris.greenwood@ycp.co.uk

Updated: 13:10 Tuesday, January 14, 2003