A Hartcliffe man who shoplifted to feed his drug habit has been spared a jail term at Bristol Magistrates' Court.

Stephen Lavin, 28, of Stillingfleet Road, has already been jailed on 20 occasions for his crimes.

He pleaded guilty to stealing 69 Rimmel mascara sticks worth £623 from Regent Pharmacy in Clifton on April 1 this year.

He also admitted breaching a tagged curfew and to stealing toys worth £62.92 from Argos in Hartcliffe and the theft of cookware from HomeSense in Imperial Park in Knowle on April 26.

Annaphie Rogers, prosecuting, said Lavin had been caught each time and that the items had been recovered.

Anna Van-Wely, defending, said: "It is quite clear that this all revolves around a long-standing drug habit.

"He started heroin at 15 and crack cocaine since he was 18. He is now 28 and it has had a devastating effect on his life.

"He has received something in the range of 19 or 20 prison sentences which is an enormous number for a young man.

"However, he and his girlfriend now have a 17-month-old daughter and he now says he cannot handle being in jail because there is now so much at stake."

Lavin was given an 18-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months with a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement.

He was also ordered to pay £65.