"STUPID" heroin addict Samuel Scarrett stole his grandmother's Switch card to buy drugs - and then gave it to a friend to use.

Just three days after he was given a conditional discharge for theft, Scarrett took the Midland Bank card, then failed to turn up for his court case because he was scared.

Susan Cliff, prosecuting at Worcester Magistrates Court, told the bench the 19-year-old was caught stealing from Boots in the High Street on Thursday, May 11.

A security guard spotted him stuffing £35.96 of razor blades into a carrier bag.

"In court, he was given the chance to stay out of trouble," said Mrs Cliff.

"But three days later he then committed the theft of the bank card.

"Gwendoline Evans, the owner of the card, is in fact the defendant's grandmother. He stole it from her home."

She said jobless Scarrett gave the card to his friend Mandy Merchant who used it to buy goods.

He admitted he planned to sell the items and buy heroin with the cash.

The city court gave her a two-year conditional discharge when she admitted the deception.

The following month, Scarrett failed to report to Droitwich Police Station. In July, he skipped a court hearing at Worcester, Mrs Cliff told magistrates.

He admitted both bail act offences.

Edward Gaynor-Smith, defending, blamed the teenager's drug addiction.

"His family have essentially ostracised him," he said. "In the past month he's attempted to sort his life out. The last offence brought him to his senses.

"Both the theft offences were pretty stupid - it was pretty obvious it was him."

He said Scarrett, of Orchard Road, Pershore, who admitted theft of the card, could offer no explanation for missing his court case.

"He was afraid of what would happen to him if he turned up," he said. "It wasn't particularly intelligent."

Magistrates bailed the teenager until Thursday, September 21, for pre-sentence reports to be prepared.