AN alcoholic who had seemed intent on drinking himself to death "sooner rather than later" was jailed for 50 days by Blackburn magistrates for theft.

The sentence was imposed after the magistrates heard Scott McKay was already serving a custodial sentence from which he is due to be released on May 30.

Defence solicitor Roger Pickles urged the magistrates not to extend that release date in view of the progress he said McKay had made.

McKay, 24, of Cicely Court, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to theft from a motor vehicle. Charges of handling, being found drunk, assaulting a police officer and criminal damage were withdrawn.

Mr Pickles said that before being sent to prison McKay had been at the bottom of a downward spiral.

"He was in a terrible state, vomiting blood, being found lying in the gutter and drinking anything and everything that he could," said Mr Pickles. "He was killing himself not slowly but quickly."

He said McKay now looks back on those days with horror and does not want to return to them.

"In prison he is sober, he is eating and he is attending an alcohol awareness programme," said Mr Pickles.

"He apologises unreservedly for everything he has done to people in the past and he hangs his head in shame.

"When he is released he intends to move out of Blackburn, get away from the people he has been associating with and make a fresh start. He understands that his old lifestyle was killing him."

McKay will serve 25 days of his 50-day sentence, which will not affect his May 30 release date.