A 29-year-old drug addict who stole from Poppy Day and Help for Heroes charity boxes has been given the maximum year’s jail sentence by Didcot magistrates.

Adrian Holmes from Giles Road, Littlemore, Oxford, had admitted stealing Poppy tins from three shops in south Oxfordshire on Remembrance Sunday.

As he was handed a 12-month sentence, he was told by magistrates’ chairman Richard Jones: “The offences targeted vulnerable victims in a premeditated manner and were inexcusable.”

Holmes was said by his solicitor Jan Matthews to be “greatly remorseful”.

He asked for 11 other similar offences of stealing from charity boxes to be taken into consideration.