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.”
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