A MAN who was involved in the use of a stolen bank card to withdraw £20 has been jailed for a year.

Blackburn magistrates heard the card belonged to the ex-partner of Haider Farooq and had been stolen in a burglary at her house just hours before Farooq and another man were filmed using it at a cash machine.

Farooq claimed his only involvement was to provide the pin number for the card but District Judge Joanne Hirst said his explanation "beggared belief."

"You are asking me to believe that by coincidence you were approached by someone involved in that burglary and asked to provide a pin number," said District Judge Hirst.

Farooq, 22, of Hill Street, Brierfield, pleaded guilty to fraudulent used a stolen cash card to withdraw £20 and handling a stolen bank card. He was jailed for 12 months.

Peter Bardsley, prosecuting, said the couple had separated two years ago. Her bank card was stolen in a burglary at her home and used to make a cash withdrawal hours later.

"He admitted giving the other man the phone number," said Mr Bardsley.

Keith Rennison, defending, said Farooq maintained that he had not been involved in the burglary.

"The card was in someone else's possession and he asked my client for the pin number which he provided," said Mr Rennison.