A MAN spotted by police carrying a stolen strimmer has escaped jail - even though a judge said he really deserved to go.

Judge Raymond Bennett told Rafiq Shaban, 26, the probation service thought it might be able to stop him offending and he had not been given a probation or combination order before.

He told him: "You really deserve to go to prison. You have an appalling record."

Shaban, of Oak Street, Colne, admitted handling stolen goods. He was put on probation for 12 months and was warned he had to see his probation officer and keep out of trouble.

Rod Priestley, prosecuting, said a foot bath and strimmer were stolen from a garden shed and a police officer later saw Shaban coming out of a street holding a strimmer and carrier bag.

When the defendant saw police, he tried to sneak off and dropped what he was carrying. The defendant was later arrested, said the items belonged to him and he had been on his way to a flea market to sell them.

Roger Baldwin, defending, said Shaban had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. He had a bad record and every time he appeared in court, he was sent to prison.

He had been addicted to heroin, had started detoxification and would co-operate with a probation programme.