A 37-YEAR-old man used a back payment of benefits to buy stolen tools which he intended to sell on for a profit.

But his career as an entrepreneur came to an abrupt end when magistrates jailed him for 20 weeks.

Paul Anthony Mountain, of Lloyd Street, Darwen, pleaded guilty to two charges of receiving stolen goods and one of burglary at a derelict mill site.

Andrew Church-Taylor, defending, said Mountain was in receipt of Employment Support Allowance and had either not been paid or been underpaid over a period of time.

He said: “The result was that he received a back payment of £2,000, some of which he used to buy these tools.

“I’m not sure how George Osborne would view his use of benefits but perhaps he would have admired his endeavour.

“He was hoping to sell on the tools to increase his fund.”