A 33-year-old thief has been jailed for 20 weeks after failing to mend his ways.

District judge Bruce Morgan said the court system could not help people “unless they helped themselves.”

Dean Nightingale, of Droitwich, appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court on Monday. The court was told that a suspended sentence order imposed at an earlier hearing was due to be activated. He had failed to show up for a meeting with probation officers and then not bothering to attend court on Thursday, October 22.

Dick Schwab, probation services officer, said: “He failed to give a proper reason for not turning up to his meeting. Because he’s failed to comply the order has been activated.”

He was given the suspended jail term earlier this year for stealing more than £500 worth of goods in a year.

As part of the conditions of the sentence he had to attend regular probation meetings to check his progress. The last time we had contact with him was the start of September and we’ve heard nothing since,” said Mr Schwab.

Rob McCrory, representing Nightingale, of Nunnery Avenue, said a prescription for subutex to help wean him off heroin had been “perhaps the wrong thing.

“He reacted badly to it and became depressed, spent all his time at home and didn’t open the door and basically didn’t face up to life. He wants to rid himself of his addiction.”

But Judge Morgan responded saying: “He’s had three community penalties in the past – all of which were revoked. His heart is quite clearly not in it.”