A 32-year-old Longridge man was jailed for six months by Blackburn magistrates after pleading guilty to a string of offences.

The court heard Nathan Redmond had a history of offending which had eventually led to an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) being imposed by Preston Crown Court in April.

And one of the latest offences was a breach of the ASBO which excludes him from certain areas of Longridge.

Redmond, of Bleasdale Court, pleaded guilty to stealing a crow-bar from Henry Holden and Sons, breach of the ASBO, attempting to enter a garage in Higher Road with intent to steal and altering a prescription in an attempt to obtain an extra 84 nitrazepam tablets.

Silvia Dacre, prosecuting, said the prescription had been altered from 28 tablets to 112 and Redmond had initialled the amendment as if it had been done by the doctor.

The crowbar had been stolen from a container in a rear yard at Henry Holden and then hidden in a back alley in a bin bag.

Redmond was seen looking for the implement and the police were informed.

The garage in Higher Road belonged to a 75-year-old woman who returned home and saw Redmond in her garden. He made off when she approached him.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said that because of his previous record Redmond accepted that he would receive another custodial sentence.

He said drugs were behind all his client's offending.

"Having spent a week in custody he is clear of drugs and he can see the effect his actions have on the victims," said Mr Taylor.

"When he is committing the offences, he doesn't give his victims much thought. His only concern is the quest to fund his addiction."

Mr Taylor submitted a letter written by Redmond while in custody.

"He says in that letter that he hates being himself and that he sees himself as a failure," said Mr Taylor. "He is also well aware that there are few heroin addicts who live beyond the age of 35 and at 32 years of age the clock is ticking for him."