A MAN left his heroin addict wife in Blackburn so that he could get away from the drug culture that had set his life into a downward spiral, a court was told

Blackburn magistrates heard that the move to Birkenhead had helped Bryan Jameson to stop taking drugs but it hadn't stopped him offending.

Jameson, 26, of Church Road, Seacombe, Birkenhead, was sent to prison for 28 days for five offences of shoplifting.

The court heard offences had been committed in Wiltshire and on Merseyside and they had been remitted to Blackburn where the earliest of the guilty pleas had been entered.

Roger Pickles, defending, said Jameson had married a woman from Blackburn and they had both been heroin addicts. He said they were dragging one and other down and there always an involvement in the town's drug culture.

"In an attempt to beat his addiction he took the drastic step of leaving his wife," said Mr Pickles. "I'm not saying there is less of a drug culture in Birkenhead but at least he was not part of it and was able to isolate himself from drugs."