A MAN who walked into a shop and stole a box of beer and a pack of cigarettes sat down outside opened a bottle and lit a fag.

Blackburn magistrates heard Richard Chamberlain was still sitting there smoking and drinking when the police arrived.

Chamberlain, 31, of Buccleuch Road, Nelson, admitted to stealing the beers and a pack of JPS cigarettes from Texaco on Scotland Road, and failing to answer bail. He was fined £130 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £23 compensation.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said Chamberlain walked out of the shop unchallenged but the offence was caught on CCTV.

Gareth Price, defending, said his client’s behaviour was out of character: “There had been an argument at home and he left to let things calm down.”