A MAN who claimed dredging golf course ponds for lost balls was a fair way to make a living has begun a six month jail sentence.

John Collinson, 36, of Chorley, spent 10 years donning a wet suit and scouring water hazards for the sad remains of thousands of duffed shots.

But his bizarre business was declared out of bounds after he visited Whetstone Golf Club, Leicester.

Collinson and his helper Terry Rostron, 24, also from Chorley, were caught in full diving gear as they embarked on a night-time trawl of the course's lake. The pair had fished out 1,150 balls with nets and placed them in two sacks. But police arrived after a burglar alarm sounded in the clubhouse.

They claimed lost balls belonged to no-one and they were within their rights to take them and sell them on. But a jury at Leicester Crown Court rejected their argument in what is thought to have been a landmark verdict for golf clubs nationwide.

The court heard Collinson had travelled the country to pursue his business.

Passing sentence, Judge Richard Bray, told him: "This has been going on for 10 years. It is obvious you show no remorse and no intention of quitting."

Kate Hargreaves, prosecuting, told how the men initially denied they were fishing for balls when police arrived. Despite their sopping wet suits they claimed they wanted to offer the club their services and were checking the course first.

But Miss Hargreaves said: "They appeared to have arrived at the club after dark and spent some hours there. They were arrested at around 1am. There was evidence that they had been in the water. When the police examined the balls they found some of them had come from the club shop." She said the haul of balls would fetch around £500 when sold on to companies who would clean and later sell them back to shops.

Sandra Pontas, defending Collinson, told the jury: "The prosecution has not proved the balls belonged to the club. You cannot convict on uncertainties."

And Molly Pinkus, defending Rostron, added: "When golfers pick up balls that aren't theirs they don't get prosecuted. This was a legitimate business -- he even entered it on his tax-return form."

Collinson, of Canterbury Street, Chorley, and Rostron, of Eaves Lane, Chorley, were both convicted of theft and going equipped to steal.

Rostron was conditionally discharged for 12 months and ordered to pay £400 costs.