A Dunedin man who stole over $1800 of alcohol from various Dunedin supermarkets did so because of his "very real need" for it.
Barden Andrew Strain, 44, appeared in the Dunedin District Court last week for offending driven by years of polysubstance abuse and a lack of social support, counsel Brian Kilkelly said.
After attending a rehabilitation service in 2000, Strain remained sober for many years.
By January he had succumbed to his addiction, racking up 15 theft convictions in five months — stealing $1823 of alcohol.
"When you relapsed, you lapsed completely," community magistrate Ms O’Brien said.
Mr Kilkelly said his client was an alcoholic and his criminality was driven by his "very real need for alcohol".
"He is a person who hasn’t enjoyed falling back off the wagon. He tried to avoid it, but he couldn’t," Mr Kilkelly said.
"He is realistic about his alcoholism. He is realistic about his addictions. He is realistic about the work that he is going to have to undertake."
Strain had been working with specialist addiction services since he lapsed and had been very open about his struggles.
The man reportedly had no family support, lived on his own and had never been employed.
"He is a person who is quite a social isolate," Mr Kilkelly said.
Strain was sentenced to 15 months’ intensive supervision and ordered to pay reparation at $25 a week due to his beneficiary status.
The man was ordered to attend assessments for substance abuse with the aim of finding a residential treatment programme, "sooner rather than later".
"It would certainly be in everybody’s best interest if that happened," Ms O’Brien said.
— Erin Cox, PIJF Court reporter
