A heroin addict with a gambling problem found that ‘fishing’ money out of church collection boxes was the easiest way he could think of to pay for his addictions.

A five-month jail term was imposed on a 62-year-old man who was described as being at a very low ebb trying to steal from church collection boxes to pay for drink.

An order to stay out of church was made against a 62-year-old man at Cork District Court yesterday.