FORMER drug addict Stuart Grogan stole two cans of paint from Halfords to annoy staff after he thought they had called him a “smackhead”, a derogatory description for a heroin user.
His solicitor, Mike Alexander, said Grogan had no use for the paint and was going to throw it away.
Grogan had told him: “It wasn’t for my own gain.
“I just wanted to annoy them.”
Mr Alexander said Grogan used drugs in the past but had made great progresss and got himself “clean”.
The solicitor said: “He thought staff in the shop had called him a smackhead and he thought ‘that’s not nice, I am not’.”
Grogan (29), of Park Avenue, Spalding, pleaded guilty to theft of two cans of paint worth £13.98 on March 19.
Sentence was adjourned at Thursday’s hearing to June 26.
Rebecca Ritson, prosecuting, said Grogan was one of two men who entered the Holland Market store and was observed on CCTV putting one can of paint “up his trousers and one in his jacket”.
Miss Ritson said Grogan told police he knew he was being followed and “was expected to steal the items.”