A HEROIN addict narrowly avoided being sent to prison after she stole from a charity box at Glangwili Hospital.

The 31-year-old said she was desperate for a drug fix, and stole around £20 in donations from the box in the hospital's tea room.

Carmarthen magistrates ruled that — because she was already on a court order — she could face a term in jail.

Wendy Claire Merryfield, originally of Abergwili and now of Carmarthen, had previously pleaded guilty to theft when she appeared in court last week for sentencing.

Prosecutor David Weale said the tea room was closed and locked at the time of the offence.

"The defendant put her arm through the roll-down shutter and took the box," he said.

He said she shook out the coins and left the box behind, which was later dusted by a police forensic officer.

He added: "Her fingerprints were found on the box, and she was arrested and charged in June.

"People gave that money for charity purposes. If people steal that, it's a particularly low crime."

The magistrates were given a pre-sentence report, and defence solicitor David Williams said: "What this report refers to is this young woman's decline into offending behaviour because of her reliance on heroin.

"It refers to the deep shame that Ms Merryfield feels that her life has descended to committing this sort of offence."

Defence solicitor David Williams said Merryfield, a mum-of-one, had worked hard to turn her life around.

"My client's life has been dictated by her dependency on this terrible drug," he said.

"It's a hard and rocky road, but she is aiming to improve for herself and her family."

Addressing the magistrates herself, Merryfield added: "I would like to clean myself up and take all the help that's given to me."

The magistrates revoked her previous court order and re-sentenced her, saying this was her last chance.

Merryfield was sentenced to four weeks in prison and also to 16 weeks in prison to run consecutively, both suspended for 12 months.

She was also given a 12- month drug rehabilitation order and 12-month supervision.

The court imposed a 7pm to 7am curfew for three months, and ordered Merryfield to pay £20 compensation.

graeme.wilkinson@swwmedia.co.uk