THE day after he was given a chance by magistrates Scott McKay reoffended. On Friday the Blackburn court was told that McKay was anxious to break the cycle of custodial sentences. But on Saturday he was arrested after being caught shoplifting in the town centre. And after his arrest McKay damaged a police cell - an offence he had also committed the previous week.

McKay, 23, who gave his mother's address in Melville Drive, Blackburn, but had previously said he lived at the Nightsafe hostel in Bridge Street, pleaded guilty to theft and shoplifting and was remanded in custody until March 20 for the preparation of pre-sentence reports. Pat Bramley, prosecuting, said that when McKay appeared in court on Friday, sentence had been deferred for six weeks.

Julian Peers, defending, said the magistrates on Friday had given McKay the benefit of the doubt. "He was delighted to be out of custody and with the conditions of bail that would help him address his offending behaviour," said Mr Peers.

"Unfortunately he took to drink and woke up on Saturday extremely depressed. He again took to drink and he has no recollection of the events of Saturday."

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