Ex soldier stole coffee to fund heroin habit

Jordan Rodgers, 29, of Watson Road, Worksop, admitted stealing five jars of coffee, worth £21.74, from B&M Bargains in Worksop on March 17.

The court heard he breached a conditional discharge which had been made on January 22 for two matters of theft. He owes the court £430 in unpaid fines and charges.

Ruth Snodin, prosecuting, said: “The defendant has a long history of shop theft.”

Rodgers told magistrates: “I was having problems with my methadone.

“I am still waiting for my methadone to be put back up to a dose that keeps me stable.

“That’s the only reason for the offences.”

Cheryl Nisbet, of the probation service, said: “He has had a long-standing problem with heroin. He left the army in 2005.

“He managed a six-year gap in his offending while on a stable methadone dose.

“He decided to reduce it himself and the situation has gone quite wrong since then.”

She said he had missed appointments and had been topping up the doses with heroin.

Magistrates revoked his conditional discharge and re-sentenced him to a 12-month community order and a nine-month drug order, with a six day rehabilitation activity requirement.