A MOTHER who shopped her drug addict son for burglary said she hopes he has learned his lesson and will turn his life around.

Jason Glasgow spent two weeks in jail after his mother turned him in to police for stealing £1,500 of valuables from her Colchester house to fund his drug habit.

Tanya Elbourne, 39, contacted police when she learned computer equipment and games consoles had been taken from her house in Dilbridge Street East last May, and knew her 21-year-old son was responsible.

She said it had been a difficult decision, but she was fed up with his drug taking, which began when Jason was just 12.

He was arrested and bailed, but was sent to Chelmsford Prison after he missed a court hearing and his case was put back for sentencing.

He was set free on Friday, in time for his 21st brithday, when he was sentenced by magistrates to an 18-month community order, which included 100 hours of unpaid work.

Mrs Elbourne said: “We want to get him off drugs.

“It has been going on a long time. He started off with cannabis then he got into class A drugs, and, more recently, crack cocaine.

“I contacted police after the burglary, because I knew it was him. It was tough love, but it had to be.

“I didn’t think he would go to prison because it was his first offence as an adult. He probably wouldn’t have if he hadn’t jumped bail.

“It wasn’t an easy decision and he looks dreadful. I want him to be part of our family, but I don’t want the drugs.”

His grandmother, Sandra Salmons, 66, agreed: “We absolutely love him. We just don’t love what he was doing to himself. I think prison may well have done the trick, as he has never been in jail before.

“He has to choose now his family or the drugs – he can’t have both.”

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard Glasgow is now drug-free since his prison spell.

Jason told the Gazette his two weeks in Chelmsford Prison had been tough. “It wasn’t as easy as I thought it was going to be.

“Some people find it easy when they’re in jail, but I didn’t.

“I wrote a letter saying I was sorry for what I’d done and why I felt I had the right reason to do it. But there isn’t a reason to do something like that.

“I owed money to someone from a long time ago, when I was on harder drugs like pills and speed.

“The rest went to who I was living with at the time – I owed them rent.”

Jason added:“I haven’t had any drugs since I got out and I’m keeping it that way.”