A Winchester man, who has spent most of his years on the wrong side of the law, has been given a three-year anti-social behaviour order so he can clean up his act - or face prison.

Marc Palmer, 24, was caught at the beginning of the year stealing a charity collection box for victims of the Asian Tsunami Appeal.

Last Thursday, before Basingstoke Magistrates, the unemployed drug addict admitted stealing £60 from the box, while distracting the shop attendant in Stanmore Stores, Wavell Way.

Palmer, of Sarum Road, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft, three counts of handling stolen goods, and one count of obtaining goods by deception.

As well being sentenced to an 18-month drug treatment and testing order, Palmer was handed the Asbo, which, among other things, forbids him to enter a shop without money to pay for goods.

Asbo co-ordinator, PC Paula Symes, said: "This man is a persistent offender who continually breaks the law. This Asbo serves as a set of rules for Palmer to abide by and if he fails to he could face a prison sentence of up to five years, a fine, or both.

"His behaviour was unacceptable and we hope by publishing the terms of the Asbo, people will be able to tell the police if they realise it has been breached.

"We are committed to making Winchester a safer place to live, work and visit and we will continue to use all the tools available to us to make that happen."

The Asbo also forbids Palmer, who is on disability benefit, from acting in an anti-social manner, trespassing on property, and touching an unattended vehicle without the owner's permission.

Palmer also admitted stealing a mobile phone from a Winchester store, buying goods with a stolen credit card, and handling stolen property, including a computer taken from The Westgate School, Winchester.

The court also heard how Palmer had been schooled in crime from a young age by his father and how his offending had been fuelled as the years went on by drug dependency.

In mitigation, Spencer Keen, said Palmer "had no direction" and was "lost in a very real sense".