YORK magistrates have lifted restrictions on a persistent shoplifter and allowed him to keep his freedom.

The day after he was given a community order for shoplifting and other offences, Jon Roman Speck, 39, stole £60 of meat and alcohol from Tesco's Huntington Road store, Kathryn Reeve, prosecuting, told the court.

Less than a week later on July 23, he stole spirits worth £186 from Morrison's in Foss Islands Road.

He was subject to bans on going into shops he had previously stolen from and breached a conditional discharge imposed for stealing.

But when he appeared in custody for sentencing for his latest offences, magistrates gave him back his freedom, and removed the bans on him going into shops he had previously stolen from.

"We would have to list so many shops," they said.

"The easiest answer would be to send you to custody," they told Speck. "You wilfully and persistently haven't complied with community orders in the sense you have continued to commit offences."

They gave him his third community order in six months. It will last for 12 months with a nine-month drug rehabilitation requirement and 15 rehabilitative activities.

"This bench is giving you a bit of a chance to drop this cycle and get some help, and hopefully give you the chance to get your life back into order," they said.

Speck, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to two thefts and was sentenced for those and seven other offences for which he had previously received community orders and a conditional discharge.

For him, Steve Munro said he stole because he lived on the streets and didn't have any money because the Benefits Agency had sanctioned him.

Speck was motivated to break the cocaine habit behind his offending, he said.

York magistrates were told Speck received a community order for five offences including shoplifting in April, was resentenced to a second community order for those offences, plus another theft on July 16 and got a conditional discharge on June 13 for a further theft.