A JUDGE praised a thief who had stayed out of trouble for six months and proved he should not go to jail.
Judge Nicholas Cartwright told Sam Gleadall he was an example to others that they could hold their end of the bargain and avoid immediate jail.
He has not been arrested and has been working with other services to stay off drugs.
Gleadall, of Malvern Road, Worcester and previously of Park Street, Worcester, had previously admitted stealing food items, worth £20, from a Tesco in Worcester and two handbags valued at £129.98 taken from TK Maxx.
John Brotherton, prosecuting at Worcester Crown Court on Friday, (March 31), also reminded the court the 36-year-old was also to be sentenced for possession of cannabis.
The offences had all been committed last year when Gleadall was on a suspended sentence order.
But on October 28, Gleadall was given a rare deferred sentence with the chance to prove he could stay out of trouble.
During the hearing Judge Cartwright asked Sam Lamsdale, defending, if Gleadall had kept his part of the order and not reoffended.
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She confirmed he had and gone further by taking advantage of help from probation, and organisations including Emerging Futures and Cranstoun, to get off drugs.
"He was struggling with his mental health in October," Mrs Lamsdale said.
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"He reports to me that has greatly improved.
"There have been no arrests. He has been drug-free for three months."
Sentencing Gleadall, Judge Cartwright said: "You have done really well.
"You have made real progress.
"You have done a favour for anyone else in front of these courts [in the same position] that they can ask for a deferred sentence.
"You give judges the confidence that people really can keep their side of the bargain."
Gleadall was given a one-year community order with 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
Gleadall was also fined £75 for the breach of the suspended sentence order.
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