A SWEET-TOOTHED shoplifter who stole more than 200 chocolate bars – as well as cans of Red Bull and a Victoria sponge cake – has been ordered to get help for his drug addiction.

John O'Hear, who is 30 and lives in St Paul's Road, Bournemouth, appeared at Poole Magistrates' Court this week for sentence after admitting seven counts of theft during a hearing last November.

The defendant also admitted the conviction of another offence while a community order for two counts of shoplifting was in force.

The court heard he frequented branches of Tesco Express in The Triangle and Holdenhurst Road to steal. However, his biggest theft – 29 Galaxy bars, 20 Cadbury Dairy Milk bars and 97 Lindt bars – was committed at Boots in Commercial Road.

Between May 11 and August 25 he stole 260 bars of chocolate, including 112 Lindt bars.

During the last hearing, magistrates were asked to consider the possibility that O'Hear would benefit from a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement.

And this week, he was sentenced to nine weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to comply with the rehab programme, as well as a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

O'Hear was also told to pay some £263 in compensation.