A MAN involved in a domestic burglary and a supermarket ram raid has been given a chance by a court to prove he really wants to rid himself of a long standing drug addiction. Emmanuel Buckland, 32, who has used drugs since he was 13, has impressed prison

A MAN involved in a domestic burglary and a supermarket ram raid has been given a chance by a court to prove he really wants to rid himself of a long standing drug addiction.

Emmanuel Buckland, 32, who has used drugs since he was 13, has impressed prison and probation officers that he is now committed to ridding himself of drugs.

And on Friday, Recorder Alexander Verdan said he was taking an exceptional case in allowing Buckland bail while he is further assessed for his suitability for a drug rehabilitation order.

He will know whether he has been successful when he is sentenced for his crimes some time in September.

Buckland, of Stratton Way, Biggleswade, pleaded guilty to one domestic burglary and two commercial burglaries with three burglaries of outbuildings taken into consideration.

Prosecutor Claudette Elliott said they all occurred on January 12 this year and started with the burglary of a house in Dane Close, Stotfold, where property and car keys were stolen. Buckland acted as look out, and was also involved in breaking into sheds and garages at three other houses in the close.

The car was then driven to a chicken and pizza shop in the village, which was broken into and the safe taken away

Then the group of burglars drove to Letchworth, where they drove through security shutters of Auija Superstore in Southfields and filled shopping trolleys with cigarettes and other goods and also stole the safe, said Miss Elliott.

When police raided two addresses in Stotfold they found a scarf with Buckland's DNA on. The same scarf had been seen covering the face of a burglar at the superstore.

Maria Karaiskos, defending said: "He handed himself in to police because he was feeling very guilty. He wanted money from drugs but did not in fact benefit at all.

"He has now been in custody for eight months and has been testing negative for drugs which is a remarkable achievement for him.

"He is making every effort to obtain a place at a rehabilitation centre and funding. He seriously wants to get rid of his drug addiction and make a clean start.