A drug addicted shoplifter who has demonstrated an attempt to turn his life around has been given a second chance by a judge to keep up the good work and stay out of trouble.

Daniel Taylor, 36, appeared at St Albans Crown Court on Friday, November 6, pleading guilty to eight offences of theft at locations across Hertfordshire, including Wheathampstead.

Taylor, who has a long standing history of offending, particularly for theft to fund his drug taking, faced the prospect of going back to prison.

But Judge Warner, hearing the case, said he was impressed by the way Taylor had managed in the last few months to begin to tackle his problems.

Taylor had targeted the Tesco Express store in Wheathampstead High Street, as well as the Boots store in Hitchin town centre in his latest crime spree.

In March, he had gone into the Tesco store in the Hertfordshire village and stolen more than £50 worth of meat and food.

In June, he carried out a series of shoplifting offences on five separate days at the Boots store in Hitchin, stealing electrical items that he knew he would be able to sell on quickly and get money for drugs.

In July and August he also shoplifted at two BP service station shops in Hoddesdon and Borehamwood, again stealing food items to sell for drugs.

The goods he stole came to the value of £1,653.

Through CCTV pictures, Hertfordshire Constabulary were able to track him down and he was arrested in September at his home in Thackeray Avenue, Tottenham in North London.

Taylor represented himself in court and said how the last 18 years he had been “on drugs”.

He told Judge Warner that now, for the first time in his life, he was sure he would not be coming back to court ever again because he was on the way to beating the drug addiction that lay behind his offending.

Taylor said that following his release from prison earlier this year for theft he had a £150 a day drug habit.

But after suffering the fear and shock of collapsing at home, he had decided the time had come to beat his drug problems.

As a result, he had made contact with an organisation called Cocaine Anonymous and was now on a 12 step programme to recovery.

Taylor said the turnaround in his life was “amazing” and described his life as getting “better and better” alongside getting himself a job for the first time in his life.

Judge Warner told Taylor he had a truly appalling record.

But he said: “It appears there are signs in this case that, for the first time in many year, you are trying to take steps to turn your life around.”

He added he was going to take an “exceptional course” by not sending Taylor to prison, but would make him the subject of an 18 month community order with a rehabilitation requirement whereby he will be expected to attend regular meeting with probation staff.