A Blackburn man said he would not co-operate with the probation service because they had misunderstood his needs.

Roger Pickles, defending, said his client would rather go to prison than be put on probation and invited Blackburn magistrates to impose an immediate custodial sentence on John David McKay.

And the magistrates obliged by sending McKay to prison for 148 days.

McKay, 30, of East Street, pleaded guilty to shoplifting, failing to surrender to bail, being drunk and disorderly and racially aggravated threatening behaviour.

Mr Pickles said a probation service report proposed supervision and a drug rehab programme.

"My client is adamant that he will not co-operate with probation," said Mr Pickles.

"He has not got a drug problem, he has a chronic alcohol problem.

"He knows the way to deal with that is to go to prison."