A THIEF who stole DVDs from York's Disney shop then tried to escape justice by throwing them into a river has been jailed for 20 weeks.

Allan John Neil Fawcett, 32, was on a community order for nine other thefts at the time and has a long record for similar offences, York Magistrates' Court heard.

His solicitor, Craig Robertson, said if Fawcett was unable to kick his drug habit, he was likely to be dead by the age of 40.

District judge Adrian Lower told him: “You must understand the sooner you get off drugs the better, and the sooner you will stop coming back to court.”

Fawcett, of Kingsway North, Clifton, pleaded guilty to three charges of theft and was jailed for 20 weeks including resentencing for the nine thefts.

Katie Vowles, prosecuting, said a member of staff at the Disney store in Parliament Street, York, spotted Fawcett and an accomplice behaving suspiciously on January 31 and called police, who caught up with the pair as they walked down the street with “bulging bags”.

They tried to make off, throwing a bag in a nearby river, but were caught.

They had taken DVDs and other items worth together £213.74. The bag was recovered.

Released on bail, Fawcett went on to steal clothing worth between £200 and £250 from Mothercare at Clifton Moor on February 12. He had already taken £70 worth of scratchcards from the Whistlestop shop at York Railway Station on September 18.

Mr Robertson said Fawcett was now trying to get himself clean.