A MAN aged 23 was arrested for a hat-trick of shoplifting offences on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Blackburn magistrates heard that the third was committed just two hours after Kelly had been released on bail.

After spending another night in the cells, Kelly was brought before district judge Paul Firth, the man who had bailed him the previous day.

Kelly, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to stealing four jars of coffee from the Spar shop in Mill Hill on Wednesday. He had previously pleaded guilty to stealing razor blades from Asda on Monday and a jacket, worth £79, from Outdoor Action on Tuesday.

The case was adjourned for the preparation of pre-sentence reports and Kelly was remanded in custody until September 28.

Michael Blacklidge, defending, said Kelly had committed his first-ever offence in May of this year, when he had left his family in Bolton. "I have been in touch with his family and they are concerned about him," said Mr Blacklidge.

"However, at this stage, they are not in a position to offer him accommodation because of the problems which originally led to him leaving Bolton."