AN alcoholic who helped himself to a litre bottle of whisky had been offending for 35 years, a court heard.

Burnley magistrates were told how Patrick Murray, 51, was spotted in a store with a bulging shirt and told police he took the alcohol because he was drunk and needed more.

Murray, of Ball Street, Nelson, admitted theft and was conditionally discharged for 12 months with £50 costs.

Lyn Slater, defending, said Murray was no stranger to the courts and had been committing crime since he was a young boy.

He was now very poorly, suffering from alcoholism and epilepsy, which was made worse by the drink.

He stopped offending when he was in a relationship and had support and had kept out of trouble for 12 months.

Mrs Slater said the defendant had been in hospital having treatment, that had not been successful and when he came out he turned to alcohol abuse again.

If he had kept the whisky, it would have done him more harm than good.