A 42-YEAR-OLD man banned from buying butane gas under the terms of an anti-social behaviour order was seen by police purchasing lighter fuel in Morrisons.

Romesh Hira later told police he was going to use one of the canisters to fill his lighter and inhale the other two because he was bored.

Hira, of Bridge Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to breach of an ASBO and was fined £50 with £50 costs.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said the ASBO had been imposed in December 2004 and this was the first breach.

"I think it is important to look at exactly what he was doing in the store," said Mr Taylor. "I would suggest that if any of us had been in Morrisons at the time we would not have looked twice at my client who was simply queuing to purchase goods from the cigarette counter.

"He accepts he intended taking two of the canisters home and inhale them but he was not going to do that in a public place, causing difficulties for others."