A man who stole £417 worth of Lego found himself within the prison walls.

Blackburn magistrates heard Mark Anthony McAllister wanted to go to prison because he thought it was the only way to combat his heroin addiction.

McAllister, 37, of Inkerman Street, pleaded guilty to stealing Lego from W H Smith in Blackburn. He was jailed for eight weeks and ordered to at £115 victim surcharge.

Nick Cassidy, defending, said his client had numerous previous convictions for shoplifting and had been to prison before.

"Unusually I will try and persuade you to send him to prison again," said Mr Cassidy. "He doesn't ask you to draw back from immediate prison and would in fact welcome it. He will use custody to try and rid himself of his heroin addiction which was behind this offence and the vast majority of his offences. He needs help and the best help available is in prison."