A MAN who stole food from a discount retailer after he ran out of money has been given a conditional discharge.

Thomas Leigh Wrightson, 25, of East Parade, Bishop Auckland, admitted to shoplifting from Poundland in the town on two occasions.

On January 7 he entered the store with no money and stole coffee and chocolate biscuits worth £6. When arrested he said he had gone into the shop to steal food for himself as he had financial difficulties.

On February 23 he returned to the shop and took £5 worth of sweets and left without paying. When asked by police why he had shoplifted again, he said: "Because I'm an idiot."

He also pleaded guilty to failing to attend a court hearing on February 22.

Stephen Hamill, mitigating, said there was no planning or sophistication to the crimes and said Wrightson was currently cooperating with Probation supervision.

The Probation Service said Wrightson, who is ex-Forces, would not be recalled to prison despite being on licence but would get a warning.

Magistrates sentenced him to a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £5 compensation to Poundland.