A SERIAL thief who pinched to feed his heroin addiction now wanted to give up and get a job, a court was told.

Burnley Magistrates heard how Kevin Andrew Ross, 37, had normally supported his habit by busking - but when times were hard he turned to shoplifting.

Ross, who has been on remand in custody, was given a 12 months community rehabilitation order and must attend the Addressing Substance Related Offending Programme.

He was told by the bench he had offended on bail and not been very successful when given opportunities in the past, but he was now being given a chance - and it was up to him to take it.

Ross, of Westgate, Burnley, had admitted three counts of stealing from shop premises and one of failing to surrender to bail.

The court was told the defendant had 42 previous convictions, 25 of them for theft offences.

Nick Dearing, defending, said Ross started his criminal career as a burglar in his late teens and early twenties, there was then a break in offending, motoring offences, then another break and Ross then started to use heroin.

He made money busking but when that did not raise enough cash, he resorted to stealing.

Mr Dearing said the defendant had undergone a detoxification programme while in custody, had come off drugs and looked better than he had done for a long time.