PERSISTENT offender Alan West went shoplifting just hours after appearing in court on a similar charge.

Blackburn magistrates jailed him for a total of seven months because he showed a blatant disregard for the law and a lack of respect for previous non-custodial sentences.

West, 34, of Heatley Close, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to two offences of shoplifting, one of theft by finding, two failure to surrender charges and admitted breaching a probation order imposed for two offences of theft and one of failing to surrender to bail.

The court heard that West had stolen CDs from Woolworths on Christmas Eve and had failed to appear in court on two occasions during those proceedings which had been adjourned for pre-sentence reports.

On the day of his last appearance he stole toys worth £110 from the Early Learning Centre and when police searched him they found the Debenhams bra inside the lining of his jacket. He said he had found it in the street.

Kevin Preston, defending, said West had a heroin addiction and until he dealt with that there was always going to be a problem.