Pubdate: Wed, 29 Dec 2004
Source: Manchester Evening News (UK)
Copyright: 2004 Manchester Evening News
Contact:  http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1313
Author: Neal Keeling
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

EX-ADDICT BACK IN COURT FOR TRIBUTE

A JUDGE ordered a reformed drug addict and thief back to court . . . to 
praise him for turning his life around.

District judge Jonathon Finestein, was so impressed with Neil Thompson's 
efforts to kick his UKP60-a-day heroin habit that he asked him to appear at 
Salford Magistrates.

Mr Thompson has been free of illegal drugs for 15 months after sticking to 
drug testing and treatment orders.

He is now training to work as a volunteer to help others affected by drug 
misuse.

In an astonishing address the judge spoke in open court for several minutes 
and said Mr Thompson, who had turned to petty crime to finance his drug 
taking, was an inspiration to others.

Mr Thompson, originally from Bolton, ended up on the run, living on the 
streets of London, and estranged from his family.He committed 30 offences, 
most of which were related to his drug addiction.

But Judge Finestein told the court: "Mr Thompson is now completely clean of 
drugs.

"Well done, on behalf of the Salford courts. This is a tremendous 
achievement, and I know it has not been easy - every day for an addict is a 
fight. You have a life, and you have so much to look forward to. Your 
success gives encouragement to people like me to give these orders, where 
appropriate."

He added: "I wanted to personally say to you well done, keep it up."

Mr Thompson, 27, started using heroin at the age of 16. He had been using 
cannabis, ecstasy, and LSD from the age of 12. He started on heroin after a 
relationship with a girl ended and he got back in with friends he had known 
from the rave music scene who had progressed to harder drugs.

Shoplifting

Mr Thompson, who now lives in Salford, said: "At first it was a small 
habit, about UKP5 a day. Then, due to my bad time keeping, I lost my job as 
a trainee land surveyor. I got more and more into drugs, and my habit went 
through the roof to UKP25 to UKP30 a day."

He still remembers his first crime. "I went shoplifting in HMV in Bolton 
and stole UKP330 worth of CDs. I sold them on for about UKP40."

By the time he was 19 he was in London begging on the streets and stealing 
to survive. He ended up contracting hepatitis C from injecting heroin with 
infected needles.

He reached the depths of despair when he cut his own wrists just to get 
onto a psychiatric ward and off the streets.

"I also ended up sitting on the edge of bridges, and thinking of suicide, 
and not having the bottle to do it. I also put UKP30 worth of smack on a 
spoon and was going to inject it, but again didn't have the bottle. I also 
overdosed."

He was kicked out of his family home in Bolton, after stealing from his own 
parents to get cash for drugs.

But he returned in 1997 and for two years was drug free until a 
relationship with his girlfriend ended and returned to heroin.

In September 2003 he appeared before Manchester City Magistrates for 
shoplifting and a drug testing order was imposed and he was weaned off 
drugs, using methadone as a substitute. He has now been completely free of 
prescribed drugs too for two weeks.

"It was ten per cent guilt for what I had done to my family and 90 per cent 
fear of going to prison that made me realise I had to stick to it."

Before the order he had twice been treated at drug rehabilitation centres, 
but they did not work. 
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