TEENAGER Sarah Robinson succumbed to temptation after finding a debit card in the street.

Blackburn magistrates heard that in a two-hour spree she bought £313 worth of property from six different shops.

And when she had finished her shopping claimed to have put the card back where she had found it.

Robinson, 18, of Ivinson Road, Darwen, pleaded guilty to theft of the card and using it to obtain property by deception from the Spar shop and Duckworth Street News. She asked for four other deception offences to be taken into consideration. Robinson, who had no previous convictions, was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £313 compensation.

Carolyn Jones, prosecuting, said the card had been stolen from the home of Elizabeth Bell in Nancy Street, Darwen, although there was no suggestion Robinson had been responsible for the theft. When interviewed she claimed to have found the card in Anyon Street and to have put it back there.

Deborah Hayden-Pawson, defending, said Robinson had been short of money and short of things for her baby and at the first shop she had bought mainly baby items.

"Once she had seen how easy it was she went on a bit of a spree," said Miss Hayden-Pawson.

"She hadn't realised quite how much she had spent but saw that things were getting a big out of hand and put the card back where she had found it."