A MAN who stripped to his underpants in a chemist after pills theft has been jailed.

Richard Lowe went to extreme measures when he swiped the epilepsy drugs after staff at the pharmacy were concerned about the nature of his prescription.

And the 38-year-old, who suffers from the condition, appeared to have a seizure in the dock when a judge said he was sending him back to jail.

Lowe, who has more than 136 previous convictions, interrupted the judge's sentencing to say 'I'm living in a war zone', because of the amount of legal highs on the inside.

He earlier told the court that although he had a 'horrendous record' but said he needed help on the outside to clean up his act.

But as Judge Peter Blair QC told him he had no option but to impose a jail term, and Lowe he realised he was going back to prison, he collapsed, convulsing in the dock.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that Lowe stripped off towards the culmination of another spate of stealing.

"He was in Boots and produced a prescription that the dispensing chemist wasn't happy with. She put the drugs on the counter," he said.

"As she went to check the details he was seen by someone else to lean over the counter, remove several strips and hide them in his pocket.

"He was challenged. Rather inelegantly he stripped almost naked to try and persuade people that he hadn't stolen anything: a rather tawdry aspect of the offence."

In the weeks after he said Lowe stole some beer from a supermarket and was also seen trying to get into the till of Knock 'En Dead hairdresser on Morley Street.

In September and October last year he said the defendant burgled four stores in Swindon and Calne.

The first offence took place at the Post Office on Whitbourne Avenue where he pinched £200 from the till when the store manager popped into the back of the shop.

A month later he took ££40 from the Herbal Shop in Fleet Street in a similar incident then the following day took £450 from Guys and Dolls in Calne and £10 from a nearby bookies.

Lowe, of Cranmore Avenue, pleaded guilty five counts of burglary, one attempt and one theft.

Tony Bignall, defending, said just days after the first raft of offences he was jailed for six months for an earlier break in. Following his release in January he committed the new matters and was returned to custody to serve the remaining part of the sentence.

During the last part of his jail term Mr Bignall said he tried to commit suicide and was also diagnosed with Barrett's oesophagus, which could be cancerous.

"He is keen to get himself back on an even keel. He realises his problems," he said.

Speaking from the dock Lowe said since he was a teenager he went from prison sentence to prison sentence without getting any help when he was freed.

He said he was not getting the help he needed in prison and had not had any rehabilitation since he was 21.

Judge Peter Blair QC said: "What you have said to me, and what Mr Bignall has said to me, has had a significant affect on what my initial view was about the case.

"What you must understand is you have committed rather a lot of offences I have got in front of me today.

"Had there just been one or two I might be able to follow what you and Mr Bignall are suggesting, but I am going to keep this to a minimum."

As he passed the nine-month jail term Lowe collapsed, convulsing, but recovered to walk to the cells minutes later still saying "I am living in a war zone."