Knicker thief junkie jailed

A HEROIN addict who stole seven pairs  of women’s knickers from British Home  Stores has been jailed at Plymouth  Crown Court.

Phillip Mason, 24, concealed the underwear, which was valued at £28, under his jacket, took it home and put it in  a cupboard.

Three weeks later, on November 28  last year, he broke into a works van and  stole the front from a stereo, but left  behind a screwdriver with his DNA on  it, and was arrested on December 11.

Emma Birt, prosecuting, said Mason  had been jailed for 14 days in February  for the theft of meat, and had a string of  previous convictions for shoplifting,  burglary and thefts from vehicles.

Ali Rafati, for Mason, said his client  was a long-term heroin addict who  needed to be taken off the streets and  rehabilitated.

Judge Francis Gilbert QC told Mason,  from Laurel Dene, North Prospect, that  he gave him credit for guilty pleas to two  charges of theft.

However, the judge added: “Offending is habitual for you and you have a  continuing disregard for other people’s  property.”

Although he was receiving the heroin  substitute methodone, Mason was also  continuing to take heroin, the judge told  the court.

Judge Gilbert jailed him for nine  months for the vehicle break-in and  one month concurrent for the knicker  theft, a total of nine  months.