A MAN claimed he bought a £2,500 television for just £800 but didn't know it was stolen.

Later Daniel Moreno admitted he knew that the TV set he bought after seeing an ad in a magazine must have been stolen because of the price. When police searched his house they also found more than an ounce of cannabis resin which Moreno insisted was for his own use.

Moreno, 23, of Kenilworth Drive, Leigh, appeared at Bolton Crown Court to be sentenced for handling stolen goods and possession of cannabis.

Prosecutor Alexandra Simmonds said the 48-inch projection television had been stolen during a gymnasium burglary. When police raided his house they found the TV set and almost 50 grammes of cannabis in various parts of the house.

Moreno told police the cannabis was purely for his own use and that he had paid around £80 for it and it would last him for about a week. He said he did not sell the drug. The court heard that Moreno had a criminal record dating back to 1993 with six court appearances for 16 offences.

Sean Brogan, defending, said his client had become the father of a baby daughter and had stopped smoking cannabis.

Recorder John Bromley-Davenport said handling a stolen TV set of such a high value was a serious offence but he was glad Moreno appeared to be settling down and said he was going to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Moreno was sentenced to work an 80-hour Community Punishment Order and a two-year Community Rehabilitation Order with a proviso he attend the Think First programme. He was also ordered to pay £150 court costs.