A 37-YEAR-OLD man made repeated trips to a Longridge store to steal bottles of spirits.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Thomas Winters was caught on CCTV and a stock check to establish just what was missing showed a £628 shortfall.

The court was told the drink that had been spirited' away included four bottles of whisky, 20 bottles of Bacardi and 20 bottles of vodka.

Winters, of Formby Close, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to theft from Somerfield and was sentenced to 90 days in prison.

John Wood, prosecuting, said it was not clear from the film how many bottles Winters had taken on each visit and the stock take had been necessary.

When interviewed Winters accepted stealing a large number of bottles and selling them on.

Andrew Church-Taylor, defending, said the full value of the missing stock could not be placed on his client.

"He accepts making five visits to the shop but he says it is unlikely he is the only person who had been stealing from Somerfield," said Mr Church-Taylor.

The court heard that Winters was jailed for 60 days in February for theft offences.