POLICE heard a loud explosion after seeing something thrown out of the window of a car in King Street, Blackburn.

And as they followed, another explosive device went off after being thrown from the moving vehicle.

Mohammed Shakil Khan, 24, of Bowland House, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to throwing a firework in the street - an offence under the Explosives Act of 1875 - and was fined £40. He also pleaded guilty to theft of a radio from a car and failing to answer bail. For those offences he was put on probation for 12 months and ordered to pay £150 compensation and £60 costs.

Pat Bramley, prosecuting, said when police stopped the car they found another firework. Khan claimed the others had gone off by accident and said to the officers: "You're not going to do me for it, man?"

"It would seem he was wrong on that matter because he has just pleaded guilty," said Miss Bramley.

Basharat Ditta, defending, said Khan had already spent two weeks in custody and urged the magistrates to deal with the rehabilitative steps they could take.

"I would ask you to consider a probation order with a condition that he attend the STOP offending programme," said Mr Ditta. "At the time of the theft offence he was using heroin and it was committed to fund his addiction. Since then he has, off his own bat, been to see a counsellor and he has stopped using the drug. He is engaged to be married and is anxious to prove to his future in-laws that he can support his future wife. He has a job to go to at his uncle's restaurant."

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