A 43-YEAR-OLD man walked out of a Clitheroe shop without paying for a 32 inch television.

Blackburn magistrates heard the theft was caught on CCTV which was shown to a police officer.

And within half an hour the constable saw Mark Edward Brown in the flesh, still carrying the television.

Brown, of Rothesay Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to theft of a TV belonging to Sainsburys. He was jailed for nine weeks.

Parveen Akhtar, prosecuting, said a member of staff at the store checked sales and realised a television was missing. She checked the CCTV which showed Brown removing the item.

"That was shown to a police officer and half an hour later she saw Brown at the railway station still carrying the TV," said Miss Akhtar.

Ben Leach, defending, said Brown had only been released from prison four days before the offence was committed.

"He was released with £46 discharge grant and that was all he had to his name," said Mr Leach. "He had to set about finding somewhere to live, feed himself and set up a benefits claim. He was told that while that was being processed there would be no payments for 14 days. He survived for three days but by the fourth he was struggling and unfortunately reverted to old ways. If he is sent back to prison today the cycle starts again."