MAGISTRATES opted not to punish an Ulverston man for attempting to steal a £2.50 pack of cheese by slipping it into the front of his trousers.

Francis Robert Michael Quirk was stopped from leaving Tesco Metro in Ulverston on March 25, and cooperated fully with staff and police.

The 47-year-old, of Swan Street, Ulverston, pleaded guilty to charges of theft from a shop and cannabis possession at Furness and District Magistrates' Court this morning.

The defendant told the court he had been coerced into shoplifting by another man, who later ran away. He explained he had been having mental health problems and recently had his sickness benefits stopped.

The magistrates ordered Quirk to pay a £50 fine for drug possession, a £30 victim surcharge and £50 towards court costs, but waved extra punishment for the theft. No compensation was required for Tesco, as the product was recovered.