A DRUG addict from Padiham who burgled his own parents has avoided being sent to prison because his mother and father are prepared to give him another chance.

Sean Metcalfe, 45, had been allowed to house-sit for his parents Mavis and Michael while they went on a nine-day break to Benidorm, the town’s crown court was told.

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But he repaid them by stealing £400 from their bank account, leaving them with only 39p to live on when they returned from the Costa Brava, the court heard.

Prosecutor David Traynor said that when Metcalfe was challenged about the missing money he denied all knowledge but he was asked to leave the family home in Hapton Road, Padiham.

He was allowed to return to the property on a couple of occasions to collect some of his belongings.

But on September 29 his mother returned home to discover marks on the kitchen window and it became clear that it had been prised open and a bank card had been stolen.

Mr Traynor said it was later discovered that £120 had been taken from the couple’s account.

The court heard that Metcalfe was also caught trying to shoplift £120-worth of meat from the Tesco Extra store in Padiham in early October.

He has a number of previous criminal convictions, dating back to the mid-80s, but had not offended since 2008.

Saul Brody, defending, said that his client’s mother and father were prepared to have him back at the family home if he was prepared to address his drugs problems.

“They are still fully supportive of him, which is to their great credit,” said Mr Brody.

Metcalfe,who had been living temporarily at Brighton Street, Padiham, admitted one offence of burglary and four charges of theft.

He was given a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, with a 12-month drug rehabilitation requirement.

Passing sentence, Recorder Simon Medland QC said: “When you are not taking drugs you are able to live a relatively normal life on the straight and narrow.

“There is a significant gap between 2008 and when you committed these offences.

“You carried out these offences because you were back on drugs and if anyone in this courtroom knows how lives can be absolutely blighted by drugs then it’s you.”