Magistrates Suspend Shoplifters Sentence So He Can Get Help for Drug Addiction

Those who find themselves in the grip of a drug or alcohol addiction often find it difficult to break free. Even when they want to stop taking the chemical substance to which they have become addicted, they are unable to, which may result in them taking desperate measures. One such person is Dean Grundell, who has been addicted to hard drugs for the past twenty-five years.

Serial Shoplifter

Like many other addicts, Dean resorted to crime to fund his habit as it spiralled out of control. He has become a serial shoplifter, and in the past two decades he has racked up almost 150 convictions for various crimes.

However, despite being in court on charges of shoplifting from three stores in Huddersfield, he has been spared jail so that he can go on The Jeremy Kyle Show. He told magistrates that he had been planning to go on the show to get help for his drug addiction and as such, his sentence was suspended.

Battle

Since the age of nineteen, Dean has been battling a devastating drug addiction that has resulted in a severe infection in his legs. He wants to overcome his illness and believes that he will get the help he needs on the ITV programme.

John Slawinksi, his solicitor, said, “He wants to go on the programme so that he can be taken to a rehabilitation unit. He’s in the process of going through the motions, and it’s genuine. The show producers at ITV have confirmed to me that he has applied for help.”

He added, “He’s in a real mess and wants to go to rehab. The show producers are speaking to family members and Mr Grundell, and he’s being processed for consideration. That shows how desperate he is to go into rehab.”

Help for Addiction

One of the biggest obstacles that face those with addiction is denial. Many individuals struggling with addiction are unable to get the help required because they cannot admit there is a problem. It is often only when the affected person hits rock-bottom that he or she finally feels ready to reach out.

Dean Grundell has taken twenty-five years to finally accept that he needs to make changes to his life. He is suffering from a serious infection in his leg, and this has no doubt contributed to his decision to get better.

Helping a Loved One to Accept a Diagnosis of Addiction

It is frustrating for loved ones to watch a family member suffer from addiction, knowing they can do nothing to help the affected individual until he or she admits to having a problem. This is often the hardest part of the journey towards recovery, and many addicts are unwilling or unable to see they need help.

It may be the case that a family intervention is required. This will involve various family members and friends coming together to talk calmly with the addicted individual in a bid to encourage him or her to get the help required.

Interventions are very effective when it comes to helping friends or relatives to see they have a problem; here at Blue Skies Recovery, we can offer advice for those who want to stage one. We can also help with the next stage of the journey by offering first-class recovery programmes for those who want to get better.

We help people suffering from all types of addiction, and our treatment success rate speaks for itself. If you would like more information on our treatment programmes, or advice on staging your own family intervention, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us today.

Source:

  1. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/serial-shoplifting-drug-addict-hopes-9829137
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