A HEROIN addicted father-of-four has been spared jail despite being caught stealing a safe from a children’s charity in South Woodford.

Roy Saville, 39, was given a 16 week sentence, suspended for 18 months, after pleading guilty to smashing the window of the Children's Society charity shop in George Lane and grabbing the safe.

Saville, whose children are aged between two and 18, was caught red-handed removing the safe by police just after midnight on June 19.

The safe was found to contain just £20.

Saville of Goldings Road, Loughton, was on police bail for an assault in March when the burglary was committed.

His solicitor told Redbridge Magistrates Court: “He has had enough of living in this way and he wants support and structure to help him sort out his life.

“He told me he did it out of desperation because he needed a fix of heroin.

“He has said he wants his family back and that when he takes drugs he normally moves away from them as he doesn't want them to see him in that way.

“He wants to be there for all his children and his ex-wife.”

Saville has been in Pentonville Prison for the last five weeks and claims to have avoided taking drugs despite receiving frequent offers in jail.

Magistrate Mr Alan Singer said: “We feel that this matter is so serious that it passes the custody threshold.

“The previous sentence and the fact that this is a children's charity shop makes the offence more serious.

“We do take into account your early guilty plea but you were coming out of the shop window with a safe.”

Saville was also ordered to attend a drug rehabilitation programme and pay compensation to the Children's Society of £225, plus £70 court costs.

This money will be recovered from Mr Saville's benefits at a rate of £10-a-week.