A SHOPLIFTER who stole £70 worth of fish from a supermarket as part of a spree has avoided jail so he can get help for a heroin addiction.

Hugh Milne, of Roman Road, Colchester, went into an Aldi store in Colchester in June and was spotted on CCTV loading 19 bags of salmon into his rucksack and leaving without making any attempt to pay.

The £71.91 worth of stolen fish was part of spree of shoplifting which saw Milne, 33, take meat products from Sainsbury’s in Layer Road before being stopped by security.

He also went into the Tesco Express in Greenstead Road and removed security tags from bottles of whiskey with pliers and grabbed a packet of biscuits before he was challenged.

Police were able to link Milne to three thefts at TK Maxx in Culver Square where he repeatedly grabbed items of clothing and made off without paying.

He admitted a string of thefts at Colchester Magistrates’ Court as well as failing to surrender to court but did hand himself into the police when it became clear he was wanted.

Roger Neildt, mitigating, said Milne had developed a Class A drug problem two years ago which had led to his offending but was now on a Subutex programme.

The court heard Milne was complying with a previous court order after stealing food from the Co-op last year.

Magistrates decided to revoke the previous order and hand Milne an 18 week jail sentence suspended for a year. He must complete 20 rehabilitation days and a drug rehabilitation course.

Compensation of £150 will be paid to TK Maxx and £71.91 to Aldi to cover the cost of goods which were not recovered.

Milne must also pay £220 in court charges and the pliers he used to remove security tags will be destroyed.