A HEROIN addict stole more than £7,000 from his father to fund his drug habit.

Matthew Martindale withdrew the cash over a two-year period using his dad's stolen bank cards.

He also smashed up his room and burgled the next door neighbour's house, searching a jewellery box and stealing £12, Worcester Crown Court heard.

The case was "every parent's nightmare," said Recorder Graham Cliff.

Martindale, aged 20, of Stalls Farm Road, Droitwich Spa, pleaded guilty to ten thefts, criminal damage and burglary. He asked for 59 offences to be taken into consideration.

The recorder said the normal sentence would be two years' custody but because of strong family support he was giving the defendant a final chance.

He made a drug testing and treatment order for 18 months and warned Martindale not to let the court down.

Abigail Nixon, prosecuting, said the defendant stole £6,786 on one bank card and £740 on another, using Droitwich cashpoints.

He caused £105 damage to his room with a baseball bat after a disagreement with his father and broke into the neighbour's through a kitchen. Police matched a footprint found at the scene to Martindale.

Miss Nixon said he had also breached a community punishment order imposed for aggravated vehicle taking. He crashed a Metro after the car was hot-wired.

Defence counsel Adam Western said it was sad that an addiction had led a son to steal from his father. It forced his parents to go to police after standing by their child for many years.

He had apologised to his father and repaid the amount he stole from the neighbours.

Mr Western said the parents were down-to-earth people who wanted help for their son.

The recorder told Martindale: "This spate of offending was plainly driven by drugs.

"If you go on with heroin you will end up dead," he warned.