Cinema thief filmed.

A thief at a cinema who became an unwitting film star when he stole property has been jailed for 23 weeks.

Drug addict John Blogg was seen reaching inside the staffroom at Middlesbrough's UGC.

But police used security camera footage from the cinema to arrest him for stealing a purse and mini disc player, said prosecutor Christopher Attwooll.

Blogg, 30, of Berner Street, Middlesbrough, appeared at Teesside Crown Court yesterday where he admitted the burglary and theft from December 17, 2004.

He had previous convictions for burglary and was subject to a conditional discharge.

Katharine Dunn, representing Blogg, said he had beaten a heroin addiction, but relapsed under the stress of a court battle for custody of his young son.

She said: "He is now realising that the only way he can get his son back is to stop taking drugs and committing offences."

She said custody would not help him, but a Drug Testing and Treatment Order would.

But Judge David Bryant said: "It's clear that such orders have only limited effect in your case, and it seems to me that as soon as you are subject to some stress or other you are likely to revert to drug taking and crime.

"Only you can give up drugs and crime.

"I give you a clear message that crime means prison and a custodial sentence is the only appropriate sentence here."