Harrogate magistrates heard how in the space of a few minutes Gary John Windsor stole two shirts from Age Concern in Beulah Street in Leeds and one from Save the Children in nearby Commercial Street.

Prosecutor Sam Rogers said between the two charity thefts, where the total haul was £13.25, 28-year-old Windsor stole an £8.68 dog toy and chain from a pet shop in Commercial Street.

Miss Rogers said Windsor, of Wedderburn Avenue, Harrogate, who had been stopped in the street by police soon after had more than 30 previous convictions for theft.

Cash

He had received two curfew orders and a 12-month community order with a requirement for drug treatment. When Windsor pleaded guilty to three counts of theft he also admitted failing to answer bail.

The court heard Windsor went to Harrogate on May 27 to meet someone who owed him money, but the get-together had not taken place. He had spent all his cash on the bus fare so he went thieving.

Mitigating, Geoffrey Rogers, said the probation service was happy for the drug work to continue after Windsor had managed to get himself clean by taking the heroin substitute methadone and other prescribed medication.

Medication

''So he has clearly done well in terms of kicking his heroin habit,'' said Mr Rogers. ''These offences are nothing to do with drugs.''

Windsor had been desperate to find a job after a long period out of work and had wanted to look as smart, decent and respectable as he could at interviews.

He had failed to surrender to custody because of memory impairment caused by his medication.

The probation service advised him to give himself up but he had decided to keep his liberty over the weekend and then surrender, the court heard.

Windsor was told to abide by a nightly 7pm to 7am curfew for 10 weeks and pay £45 costs.