A FORMER heroin addict stole perfume from a shop in Worcester because of threats made by drug dealers he owed money to.

Dylan Morgan, 37, from Choules Close, Pershore, appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court on August 29 charged with stealing £66 worth of Jimmy Choo perfume from Debenhams in the city on August 13.

Sara Clewer, prosecuting, said: “At around 2pm, the defendant was with his partner’s daughter in Debenhams.

“They spent time in the perfume section before he took a £66 bottle of Jimmy Choo perfume and put it in a Lakeland carrier bag.

“He was stopped while leaving the store and the perfume was taken from him.”

Morgan pleaded guilty to the charge, and has 33 previous convictions for 42 offences.

His defence solicitor Mark Sheward said: “There was a time when my client had an entrenched heroin addiction.

“During that time he accrued a debt from someone in Worcester who used to supply him.

“On the day, he came into Worcester to do some shopping and while he was in Worcester, one of the drug dealers saw him and demanded the money.

“He said that if my client could not pay he would be subject to violence.

“Because he was with his partner’s young daughter and did not want her to see any violence, he said he would steal something, which was the perfume.”

Mr Sheward went on to say that when Morgan met his partner 12 months ago, he kicked his heroin addiction and moved out of the area.

Officers were seen outside Debenhams on August 13 at the same time as the thefts occurred, with a van and a police car called to the store.

Magistrates gave Morgan a six-month conditional discharge for the theft, and ordered him to pay £242 in fines, costs and a victim surcharge.