A QUARRY Bank drug addict caught in possession of a medical bag he had stolen from a staff nurse, has been spared jail.

The bag was taken when a window in the nurse's parked car was smashed and it was later recovered from the home of Mark Edge.

Wolverhampton Crown Court was told the 30-year-old was with a second man when they were sniffed out by a police dog at the scene of a suspected burglary in Dudley.

As a result, said Gurdeep Garcha, prosecuting, his home was searched by officers and they found the medical bag, which contained the nurse's NHS ID card.

Edge, of Dunnsbank, admitted handling stolen goods and was placed on supervision for a year with a condition he attends the drug rehabilitation programme.

Timothy Pole, defending, told the court that when he stayed away from class A drugs, Edge managed to stay out of trouble with police.

Recorder Nigel Baker QC told Edge: "I am satisfied that when you keep off drugs you do not commit offences.Your recent record is poor."

But he ruled he would give Edge the chance to reinforce his bid to deal with his drug problem adding: "It is now up to you to do what you say you are going to do."