A TEENAGER who stole a credit card and spent more than £300 on it has been told she must change her ways or she will end up going to prison.

Evette Beasant, of Spring Lane North, Malvern, took the card from the purse of a woman she knew in November last year.

Worcester magistrates discussed a pre-sentence report complied by the probation service, which suggested how to deal with her.

Andrew Newton, defending, said: "This report encapsulates all the horrors of heroin and what it can do to a young woman, clearly intelligent and articulate woman from a good family."

Louise Mead, prosecuting, told the court that after taking the card, Beasant, aged 19, went to Bromsgrove and spent £389 in shops such as Bodycare, Woolworths and Claire's Accessories.

She later sold all of the items for a total of £80.

Mrs Mead said: "The injured party had received a call from her credit card alerting her to unusual activity but because she herself had made some unexpected withdrawals she did not think much of it at the time."

Beasant later admitted the theft to the victim, apologised and offered to repay the money.

Deputy district Judge Aspall told Beasant she had "brought herself to the brink of going to prison".

He said: "Unless you do something very radical in your life you will find yourself back in court and going to prison.

"You obviously have problems but there is no excuse for this kind of offence."

Beasant was made subject of a 12-month conditional discharge and put on a 12-month supervision order with a drug rehabilitation requirement.

Two outstanding community orders were revoked.