Shoplifter Mark Keating tells The Argus today why he has such an appalling criminal record and it is one word - drugs.

In common with the vast majority of the prison population these days, he has been hooked on drugs.

Keating says prison is no good for drug abusers because he went in an addict and came out an addict.

He's right to query the sense of sending addicts to a place likely to increase their reliance on drugs.

But there's a stream of self-pity running through his words which Keating doesn't extend to any of the many victims of his crimes.

They are unlikely to feel he should be dealt with more leniently than any other common criminal simply because he happens to be a drug addict.

What's needed most of all is for youngsters to be persuaded not to dabble with drugs in the first place and Mark was only 15 when he became involved.

Once addicts are caught trying to raise money to fuel their habit, they should be offered help so they can be weaned off it.

If they don't co-operate the only alternative, with all its faults, is prison.