A VISIT to Blackburn to watch football ended with Peter David Malloch being reintroduced to heroin after five years abstinence, a court heard.

And his subsequent slide back into addiction cost him everything for the second time in his life.

Blackburn magistrates heard Malloch "lost control" of his life for nine months and at the end of it had lost his girlfriend, his job and his house, running up debts of £15,000.

Defence solicitor, Roger Pickles, told the bench that, having hit rock bottom, there was only one way for Malloch to go and that was up.

The 29-year-old of Elm Street, in Little Harwood, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to three offences of shoplifting and failing to answer bail. He was remanded on bail until February 9 to be assessed for a drug treatment and testing order after the chairman said there was a "glimmer of hope" for Malloch.

Mr Pickles said the defendant, who had a grammar school education and came from a good family, started taking heroin when he was 20 and for a number of years had funded his addiction with his own income.

"He got himself clean and remained that way for the next five years until January 2002. What happened after that is a real cautionary tale."

He told how Malloch met someone from his past life after going to watch football in Blackburn and was offered heroin.

"For the next nine months he lost control of his life. He managed to keep his addiction hidden from everyone until eventually it all came out in the open again.

"He has caused a lot of people a lot of pain and it is all down to drugs."

Mr Pickles added Malloch had been cast out by his family. "They say they have been through it once and couldn't face going through it again," said Mr Pickles.

He said Malloch had already made contact with the community drugs team, having accepted he needed help to beat his addiction.

"He is determined to turn his life around again," said Mr Pickles. "He has seen both sides of the coin and he knows which one he wants."