(Image: Durham Constabulary)
A homeless drug addict blighted shops in Bishop Auckland as he turned to shoplifting to feed and clothe himself.
Daniel Slack had no income and was sleeping rough or in a tent at the time earlier this year.
But Durham Crown Court heard that Slack has spent the last two-and-a-half months in custody since his arrest over axe threats during a public order incident in Princes Street, Bishop Auckland, on August 2.
The court was told it has enabled him to "dry out" and remain clean of drugs, which he told Judge Jo Kidd has done him good and almost proved a "lifesaver".
The 24-year-old, of no fixed address, appeared for sentence by video link from Holme House Prison in Stockton after previously admitting 28 charges, including 18 shop thefts.
Other charges included obstructing police, assaulting a constable, damaging police cells, affray, threatening a person with a bladed article, being drunk and disorderly and failing to surrender to bail at a hearing at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on June 26.
Prosecutor Sam Ponniah said the targeted shops included Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, TK Maxx, Sports Direct and Boots, many on Bishop Auckland’s Tindale Shopping Centre.
The hundreds of pounds of stolen goods included food, alcohol, fragrances, beauty products, but also lawn feed and weed killer.
Some offences were committed while Slack was on police or court bail, and all were committed while he was subject to a community order, imposed in January.
Tony Davis, for Slack, told the court he was “street homeless, and addicted to crack cocaine and alcohol” when he committed most of the offences.
Mr Davis told the court: “These were mainly opportunistic thefts of food, alcohol and clothing from local shops.
“There is no evidence of professional, organised shoplifting.
“He was acting alone and often returned to the same local supermarkets, stealing to eat and fund an addiction while going months without Universal Credit."
Mr Davis said Slack sometimes even resorted to raking through bins for food.
“He’s 24 and lacks maturity, with a history of long-term substance misuse from a young age, interspersed with periods of homelessness.”
Judge Jo Kidd said it was “not surprising” he turned to shoplifting while homeless, unsupported and often starving, forcing him to rake through bins for food.
But she said it was “encouraging” that he had been drug-free in custody for the first time in a while.
Speaking to the judge by video link from prison, Slack said: “Realistically, coming here has probably saved my life.
“The way things were going was insane. I can’t keep going on like that for the rest of my life.”
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Judge Kidd sentenced Slack to 20 months in prison, saying a longer spell in custody would help now he appears to have “turned the corner”.
She told Slack a non-custodial sentence would risk “setting you up to fail”, while a longer term subject to prison structure would benefit him.
Slack thanked the judge as he left the prison video booth.