Barry Costello grabbed cash from a till at a Hartlepool bookmakers. But after being bailed twice by magistrates he went on to steal again - to the anger of police.

Now magistrates have sent the heroin-addicted burglar to prison for two months.

The 33-year-old had stolen £150 from Coral, in King Oswy Drive, on April 18 and was quickly arrested by police.

He appeared before town magistrates on Monday, April 21, charged with burglary and was bailed by the bench despite also being on licence from a previous jail sentence.

He swiftly breached his conditions and was hauled back before the court the following day – but then bailed again.

Within hours he snatched £110 from the larger of the two Sainsburys, in Murray Street, and this time magistrates decided to refuse him bail.

In both incidents at Coral and Sainsburys, shocked staff looked on as Costello reached over a counter and grabbed wads of cash from tills.

Costello, of Baker Close, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to both burglaries at Hartlepool Magistrates' Court.

At his sentencing hearing yesterday, he was sent to jail for one month for each offence to run consecutively.

Detective Inspector Keith Groves had previously slammed the decision to release Costello on bail.

He told the Mail after Costello's second offence: "While I don't want to unduly criticise the judicial process I can fully understand the frustrations of the police officers, the investigating officers and members of the public who continuously see criminals appear before the courts and are subsequently released back into the community to commit further offences."

During his sentencing hearing, Paula Sanderson, prosecuting, said Costello tested positive for heroin on both occasions and had taken 40 diazepam tablets before stealing from Sainsburys.

Costello's solicitor, Barry Gray, said his client has suffered with drug problems. But his family were now fully supporting him and on release he planned to get a job and to live a "normal life".

Mr Gray said: "He wants to bring home the bacon. He is racked with guilt about what he has done and he wants to be someone he is proud of.

At one point his family disowned him, but now they are supporting him as they say they have seen a change in his character and a determination to make things right."