A 24-year-old man battling against heroin addiction moved to a Darwen hostel with his wife and their two children in an attempt to escape from his drug connections in Preston.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Darren Robinson was making good progress under a treatment and rehabilitation order and the shoplifting offence that brought him before the court was an isolated lapse. obinson, 24, of Police Street, Darwen, pleaded guilty to stealing a Sony Playstation game. He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and the magistrates made no order for costs.

Daniel King, defending, said that in Preston Robinson was known to people with drugs connections and he and his wife had decided to move to make a fresh start.