A man stole chocolate from Home Bargains to fund his drug habit.

Kaspars Burkevics admitted he was going to sell the confectionary to buy heroin and crack cocaine.

Blackburn magistrates heard Burkevics was detained as he tried to leave the store with £42 worth of Dairy Milk.

Burkevics, 35, of Taylor Close, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to shoplifting. He was fined £40 and ordered to pay £85 costs and £16 victim surcharge.

Ian Huggan, defending, said since the offence in August his client had managed to get himself on a methadone prescription and hadn’t used heroin since then.