A MAN with a string of theft and motoring offences avoided a jail sentence after a judge heard he was responding well to a drug treatment order.

Christopher Spires, aged 22, of Glencoe Road, Evesham, was stopped by police a number of times last year for driving while banned. He also stole goods from shops, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Judge Michael Mott warned that he could get "quite a stretch" in jail if he lapsed into crime again.

He accepted that Spires, a former addict, had stopped taking drugs which had justified an 18-month drug testing and treatment order being passed on him earlier this year by another judge.

Simon Phillips, prosecuting, said there had only been one offence since sentence had been deferred in January. Spires had stolen six DVDs worth £40 from Woolworths in Worcester.

Mr Phillips outlined a series of previous offences which began in May last year. Spires had pleaded guilty to all of them.

Defence counsel Michael Duck said Spires had impressed everyone by his positive response to an 18-month drug treatment order.

"He has demonstrated his ability to put his life back on track," he added.

Judge Mott gave Spires an 18-month community rehabilitation order to run alongside the drug testing order.