TWO heroin addicts who persistently stole from shops to fund their addiction have been jailed for eight months.

But Blackburn magistrates rejected a police application to have Jolene Wesley and Christopher Pagani banned from Blackburn town centre shops and the Grimshaw Park retail complex under an anti-social behaviour order.

The magistrates also pulled away from a probation service recommendation, supported by the defence, that the couple should be placed on drug treatment and testing orders.

The sentences were handed down weeks after Pagani told the courts he had gone back on heroin to try to help his girlfriend fight her addiction.

Wesley, 19, of Oakenhurst Road, pleaded guilty to shoplifting from T J Hughes, Woolworths, Debenhams and T J Hughes a second time.

She also admitted a breach of a conditional discharge imposed for an offence of shoplifting at Morrisons.

Eddie Harrison, prosecuting, said the offences had been committed in breach of previous orders and in contravention of conditions of bail.

Pagani, 23, of the same address, pleaded guilty to shoplifting from Asda, Debenhams, British Home Stores, and Asda again.

Most of his offences were committed while on bail and one was committed on the same day as he appeared in court for another.

"They have both committed offences on bail and the police believe ASBOs are a way to prevent them entering the shops where they repeatedly offend," said Mr Harrison.

Roger Pickles, defending, said the couple, who had previously pledged to fight their respective addictions together, both desperately wanted to kick the habit.

He said all the goods they stole were resold to buy the one or two bags of heroin they needed to keep them from feeling violently ill.

"They no longer take heroin to get high, they take it to get through life," said Mr Pickles. "Their whole life revolves around heroin and they spend every waking moment leading the drug life."

He said he could not see how making them subject to an ASBO could be part of any rehabilitation.