A persistent Bristol offender who stole to fund his drug habit has earned the trust of a judge who is giving him one last chance.

Brian Lovell, from Easton, was given two suspended six-month sentences to be served consecutively after pleading guilty to theft and burglary.

The 27-year-old, who has 22 previous convictions for 61 offences, walked free from Bristol Crown Court yesterday having already spent almost six months in jail since his arrest in May for snatching a handbag containing £150 of cash and personal items from a bus stop and attempting to steal a laptop from a students' hall of residence in Stoke Bishop.

The lady whose bag he stole subsequently suffered "panic attacks and nightmares" the court heard.

Justice John Royce told Lovell: "What you consider to be minor offending to fund your drug habit can have a disproportionate effect on your victims.

"It was an opportunistic and selfish offence."

The judge was impressed though by reports that Lovell was attempting to ditch his habit and handed down a suspended sentence with 100 hours of unpaid work and a supervision order for 12 months.

"If you let me down you know it is me that will be dealing with you," he warned.