Steve Strange was lead singer of pop band Visage

His solicitor Mel Butler said: "He has found it difficult to cope with falling from grace after being a man of considerable wealth in the Eighties."

Strange, who is unemployed, appeared in court under his real name of Steve Harrington.

Prosecutor David Leathley said: "The other offences were discovered after Strange was taken for questioning."

Strange admitted stealing a �25 cosmetics gift set from Boots in Bridgend and he asked for three other offences to be taken into consideration.

'Myriad of problems'

He was already on bail for stealing a �15 ladies' jacket from Marks and Spencer in Cardiff when he was arrested.

Mr Butler, defending, said Strange was a man suffering from a "myriad of problems".

He appealed for magistrates not to send Strange to prison, saying there was a risk he might try to kill himself.

He said: "There is a substantial risk of self-harm if he is sent to prison."

'Persistent thief'

Strange, of Porthcawl, south Wales, admitted theft.

He was jailed for three months but magistrates suspended the prison sentence for a year.

Chairman Fred Bevan said: "You are a persistent thief and committed five offences in one day.

"But we feel we can suspend the prison sentence to give you the opportunity to take advantage of a probation order."

As well as being the singer of Visage - which also included Midge Ure - Strange was also a fixture of the London pop scene during the early 1980s.

He built up a reputation as a party-goer and club promoter.

But Visage's pop career was short-lived, and his influence faded as the decade wore on.

More recently, he had returned to his south Wales roots to set himself up as a manager, promoting local bands.