Published at 16:06, Friday, 08 March 2013

A POVERTY-STRICKEN man was so hungry he resorted to stealing two blocks of cheese from a convenience store, a court heard.

Michael Andrew Crook stolen the food, valued at £8, from the Co-op in Island Road, Barrow, on January 13.

Mrs Lisa Hine, prosecuting, told Furness Magistrates’ Court the 44-year-old concealed the cheese under his clothing and left the store without paying.

But police later identified him using CCTV footage.

Under police interview, Crook told officers he was hungry because he had not received any benefits.

He had been ill with depression and told police he would have been drunk and probably hungry at the time of the theft.

Miss Karen Templeton, defending, told the court on Tuesday: “There has been this period where he literally had no money. He had been going to the Foodbank and, at this moment in time, he’s not got any money at all.”

Crook, of Ship Street, Barrow, admitted theft.

He told the magistrates: “Normally I always pay for my stuff, but I just didn’t have any money.”

He was ordered to pay £8 compensation to the Co-op, £50 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

He was given a 12-month conditional discharge.

Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk