A 39-YEAR-OLD man who moved to East Lancashire from London to make a fresh start ended up being used as the "stooge" in a credit card fiddle.

Blackburn magistrates heard that David Jonathon Johnson succumbed to temptation when he was offered the opportunity to use cloned cards to buy things for himself once he had fulfilled a 'shopping list' for the card supplier.

But the court heard that by the time it was Johnson's turn to profit the fiddle had been detected and he was arrested.

Johnson, 39, of Chapel Street, Brierfield, pleaded guilty to five charges of stealing from shop premises and one of attempting to steal.

He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £437 compensation.

Joanne Close, prosecuting, said Johnson had made three purchases from Argos in Blackburn as well as food from Pizza Hut in Preston and fuel and a mobile phone top-up card from a Blackburn petrol station.

He made a fourth visit to Argos but the card was retained and the police called.

Daniel King, defending, said Johnson had lived all his life in London but had moved to Brierfield to make a fresh start after he lost his job as a result of an accident and then separated from his partner and their children.

"He is struggling financially and got talking to a chap up here and was offered the opportunity to make a few pounds for himself," said Mr King.

"When the police arrested him they quite literally found a shopping list of the things he was to buy for the other chap. He was used as a stooge and was duly arrested and charged."