A DRUG dealer who carried on offending after being spared jail for peddling heroin and crack cocaine is finally behind bars.

In May Benjamin Murphy, who sold drugs under the street name Macca, was told by a judge he would serve at least two years if he reoffended during the next 24 months.

But after the 26-year-old admitted two counts of shoplifting, Recorder Peter Towler, sitting at Swindon Crown Court, jailed him for just a year.

The judge told him he would take six months off to reflect the work he had done trying to tackle his drug problem and for observing a three month curfew.

He then chopped a third off as he pleaded guilty to theft, even though the two year suspended jail term was solely for the drug dealing.

And after he was reminded by the prosecutor, the judge announced he was imposing jail terms of one month for the shoplifting, but said they would be concurrent.

He was first caught shoplifting in August, when he also had cannabis on him, but magistrates fined him and did nothing about the suspended sentence even though they are meant to send the matter back to the crown court.

A few weeks later he was again caught stealing perfume worth £9.99 and candles worth £99.95 from two stores in the Outlet Centre.

Tessa Hingston, prosecuting, said he was caught after a short chase and all of the stolen goods were recovered.

Murphy, of Stoneleaze Close, Eastleaze, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft at an earlier hearing.

Murphy admitted three counts of possessing class A drugs with intent supply but insisted he was just acting as a 'runner' for another dealer.