A MAN who stole diesel worth almost £100 planned to sell it, Burnley magistrates heard.

The court was told Deivydas Grublys, 23, was seen at petrol stations filling containers with fuel and driving off. He also by-passed the electricity meter at his former home, getting free power for two months.

Grublys, who has a factory job, said he did not know why he had done it. He was not legally represented, but a probation officer who interviewed him said the defendant had separated from his partner, and friends from Lithuania came over and led him astray. He was now reconciled with his partner. Grublys, of Pine Street, Nelson, admitted making off without payment at Colne, abstracting electricity and using a car without insurance.

He was sentenced to do 60 hours unpaid work, banned from driving for eight weeks and must pay £63.11 compensation to Asda, £33.56 to Sainsbury’s, £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.