A Sandys man was ordered to attend a drug treatment court programme yesterday after pleading guilty to stealing money from a Reid Street business.

Ian Raynor, 40, appeared in Magistrates’ Court and admitted to stealing $10 from an employee tip jar on May 21.

According to Alan Richards, for the Crown, Raynor entered Natural Mystic Hub around 2.40pm and asked one of the managers, Earlena Ingham, for some soup.

While Ms Ingham was getting the soup for Raynor, he stole the $10 and left the premises with the cash after receiving his food.

Raynor, who has previous convictions for burglary, voluntarily attended the Hamilton Police Station on May 23 and admitted to officers that stealing the cash was “a stupid thing to do.”

Raynor told senior magistrate Maxanne Anderson that he stole the money to fuel his drug addiction.

In addition to ordering Raynor to attend drug treatment court, Ms Anderson also ordered that a social inquiry report and an alcohol and drug use assessment be conducted for Raynor. He will begin the court programme on October 4.