A WORCESTER drug addict who stole packets of salmon and hid them down the front of his trousers has been jailed.

Terrance Lippitt was sentenced to a total of three months after Droitwich magistrates heard how he had stolen packets of ham and salmon from two Worcester shops in February.

But while sentencing him, magistrates told Lippitt they had also taken into account his breach of a community service order imposed earlier that month for three previous thefts of food.

The 20-year-old was told that he had failed to carry out his punishment so the crimes had to be taken into account alongside the charges he was facing.

Lippitt was ordered to carry out 60 hours community service on Monday, February 12, for three counts of theft and one count of criminal damage, but only carried out eight.

Kiernan Cunningham, prosecuting, told the court the 20-year-old had stolen packets of ham from The One Stop Shop, in Brindley Road, Worcester, on Sunday, February 25. On Tuesday, February 27, security staff at Worcester's Sainsbury's store caught Lippitt putting packets of salmon down his trousers.

"Security staff asked the defendant to remove the stolen packets of salmon and he pulled them out the front of his trousers meaning the packets were not re-sellable," he said.

Lippitt, of Windermere Drive, Warndon, admitted both thefts and failing to surrendering to court while on bail on Thursday, April 19, and Tuesday, May 1.

David Jackson, defending, told magistrates his client was struggling with a drug problem but was battling with his addiction.

"A rehabilitation order could be appropriate," he said.

"He has recognised he has a problem and wants to get rid of it. He is before court regarding a number of thefts which he recognises is serious.

"He was living with another drug user which meant the two were feeding off one another, but he has now moved back with his family.

"What he has not done is to have carried on thieving during more recent months which suggests he is trying to mend his ways."