A MORECAMBE man has failed in his bid to have a six month prison sentence cut.

The jail term was imposed on Terence Coulton for stealing from two shops in the town.

The 41-year-old of Green Street, Morecambe, had pleaded guilty before Lancaster Magistrates to stealing a pair of shoes from a shop and several days later taking five packs of disposable razor blades from Boots.

On each occasion he tried to throw away the stolen goods when approached by police.

His barrister, Mr Ian Dacre, told Preston Crown Court the appeal was not against the principle of a custodial sentence, but its length.

He explained: "It was his request for a custodial sentence in order to assist him to wean himself off the drugs he had been taking. But he wasn't anticipating the length of the sentence passed upon him."

The court was also told his only child had previously died when she was knocked down by a car in the street. That partly led to the breakdown of his marriage.

Judge Gill Ruaux sitting with two magistrates, said the appeal had failed. The six month sentence had been passed by magistrates earlier this month.