A 42-year-old man was caught shoplifting just three weeks after being made subject to a community supervision order for similar offences.

Blackburn magistrates heard that George Wright stole gift sets worth £162 from Debenhams and later told police he intended to sell them in the pub.

Wright, of Lockside, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to theft and was remanded on bail for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Richard Prew, defending, said that in his recent dealings with the probation service Wright had admitted for the first time having a drug problem.