A SUPERMARKET worker who pocketed £20 had brought shame and embarrassment on himself and his family, a court was told.

Burnley Magistrates heard how Abdul Shakoor, 18, was shortly due to start university and felt he had suffered enough because of the disgrace.

Shakoor, of Cromwell Street, Burnley, admitted theft and asked for an offence to be considered. He was conditionally discharged for 12 months and must pay £65 costs and £23.83 compensation.

He had no previous convictions.

Sentencing him, the bench said he had breached his employers' trust, but the offence had been unplanned, impulsive and was of low value.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said the defendant was working at Kwik Save in Briercliffe Road, Burnley. Staff were occasionally stopped and searched and Shakoor was found to have two £10 notes.

The following day, a customer made an anonymous phone call to say she had been in the store's wines and spirits department and had seen an employee take money from a shopper and put it into his own pocket.

The court was told the defendant was due to start a computer sciences course at university and was deeply remorseful for and ashamed of his actions. He had learned his lesson.