A SHOPLIFTER used to spend up to £140 a day on heroin, a court has hard.

Leanne Arthington cut the daily amount to £10 more recently and had been totally clean for nine days ahead of her appearance at Taunton Crown Court today (Thursday).

Arthington, 30, of Medway Close, Taunton, was due to be sentenced for three counts of theft she had previously admitted.

Prosecutor Patrick Mason told the court she stole a couple of tops from Marks and Spencer valued at £60 to £80 in December to sell so she could buy drugs and took some jogging bottoms she couldn't afford from the same shop a month later as her trousers were uncomfortable as she had a leg injury.

Then in March, Arthington, who Mr Mason said has "a considerable record for shoplifting", walked out of Sainsbury's with some bacon, cheese and washing items without paying, intending to sell them.

She committed the offences in breach of a 16 month jail sentence suspended for 18 months that had been imposed on her in September for three counts of supplying Class A drugs.

Anjam Arif, defending, said Arthington suffered a relapse into drugs at the end of November, although she has since stopped taking heroin and has not used for the last nine days.

"When she was using, she was spending £10 a day, coming down from £130 to £140 a day," said Mr Arif.

Judge David Ticehurst deferred sentence for four months, warning Arthington she would go to jail if she offended or missed any probation appointments.

He said: "Another blip or two...then you go to prison. That's more than fair."

We have since been informed that Leanne Arthington now lives at Upper High Street.