A GUILT-RIDDEN drug addict stole hundreds of pounds from the York teddy bear shop where he worked in order to feed his habit - then confessed his crime to a bishop.

Aaron Kyle Mellers' struggle with heroin led to him using his managerial role at Stonegate Teddy Bears to pinch £285 from the till.

But he soon began feeling remorseful about the theft and told Bishop Stephen Robson, of the Celtic Orthodox Church, what he had done.

The Bishop repaid the stolen money himself and, after speaking to the police officer investigating the crime, encouraged Mellers, 29, of Penleys Grove Street, York, to own up.

Mellers pleaded guilty to the theft when he appeared at York Magistrates' Court. Steven Ovenden, prosecuting, said: "He was employed as an assistant manager at Stonegate Teddybears when he took money from the shop's takings.

"He was arrested four days later and was frank enough to make a full admission. We believe the money had been paid back within three days of the offence.

"This is a man who was having a great deal of difficulty in dealing with his addiction and he was trying to seek help from the Compass drugs charity, but had missed an appointment which pushed him to the back of the waiting list.

"He was finding it difficult to fund his addiction and that is how the crime came about."

Sandra Keen, defending Mellers, said he was continuing his battle against drugs and had been given medication which he could not resell in order to buy heroin.

"At the time of the theft, there was £900 in the till drawer at Stonegate Teddy Bears," she said.

"Although he didn't take all of this, he accepts this is no excuse, but gives an indication that he has taken account of his situation.

"He admitted committing the offence to Bishop Stephen, who first rang the shop and then visited it, with the Church repaying the money.

"As it happened, when Bishop Stephen went to the shop the officer who was on duty when the theft happened was there, and after they spoke to each other, Mellers made a full admission to police."

She said Mellers was now repaying the money the bishop gave back to the shop.

Mellers was given a 12-month community order, told to do 160 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £50 court costs.