A FURNITURE delivery man who pocketed almost £1,000 from a customer has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Preston Crown Court was told that Andrew Reid gave various reasons as to what had happened to the money when his boss called in the police.

Reid, 27, of East Park Avenue, Blackburn, admitted stealing the £989.30 from Junction 12 outlet on November 9 last year when his trial was due to begin.

Amy Nicholson, prosecuting, told the court Reid had been employed by the firm for 10 weeks.

Fraser Livesey, defending, described Reid as a hard working young man.

He said: “His financial position was rocky at the time this occurred.”

Reid was sentenced to nine weeks in prison suspended for 18 months.

He was also ordered to do 60 hours unpaid work for the community and re-pay the money.