A MAN broke into a shop and stole ‘legal highs’ to relieve his pain after discharging himself from hospital after being beaten, a court was told.

Roger Kay, aged 37, of Birnbeck Road in Weston, admitted breaking into Nomads in Orchard Street, ripping its alarm box off the wall and causing £300 worth of damage at North Somerset Courthouse on Friday.

Mike Collins, prosecuting, told the court Kay then stole £143 worth of ‘legal highs’

He said: “The shop had been locked and secured but he gained entry by throwing bricks through the glass of the front door, he ripped the alarm box and then stole items from behind the counter.”

David Bird, mitigating on Kay’s behalf, described it as an ‘impulsive act’ by a man suffering from ‘serious pain’.

The court was told in the week leading up to the incident Kay had been beaten and taken to hospital. Mr Bird said: “He was confused, and against the advice of doctors, he discharged himself from hospital.”

Mr Bird detailed how Kay suffers from a £20-a-day amphetamine addiction, and said: “During the course of the night he began to suffer serious pain from the injuries he had incurred.

“He went out walking and on impulse decided to self medicate. This was very much an impulsive act.”

Kay pleaded guilty to a charge of theft while trespassing. He was handed an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, given a three-month curfew and ordered to pay £443 in compensation to cover the cost of the stolen items and damage caused.