A TRAINEE manager at a Blackburn shop spoiled a previously unblemished record when he was caught stealing from his employers.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Joseph Bux was serving his notice at the Day and Nite store in Pritchard Street when a regular customer spoke to the shop manager about seeing Bux loading goods into his car.

And when the manager asked Bux to open his boot he saw £58 worth of goods which the trainee initially claimed he had bought from Tesco.

Bux, 43, of Pasturelands Drive, Billington, had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to theft. After reading pre-sentence reports the magistrates ordered him to do 80 hours community punishment and pay £80 costs.

Paul Schofield, defending, said at the time of the offence Bux had been offered a job with a larger supermarket chain in Blackburn and the job as assistant night manager would have meant a pay rise of between £2,500 and £3,000.

"He thinks that the prospective employers have withdrawn the offer because of the publicity arising from his first appearance," said Mr Schofield.