A MAN appeared in court charged with buying stolen goods.

Felix Joseph Murphy appeared before magistrates on Wednesday after he bought a £300 electric generator that had previously belonged to a man, Darren Seward.

The 40-year-old defendant, of Barrow's Low White Close, said he had not known the generator was stolen at the time of the offence on October 19.

Prosecutor Peter Kelly said police had caught up with him after seeing CCTV images of the theft in Askam.

The court heard he later directed police to some 'secluded' woods in Barrow in order to return the generator.

Murphy said: "I didn't know it was stolen when I bought it.

"I should've contacted the police straight away.

"I regret my actions.

"It's obvious I made a silly mistake and I should not have made it."

Magistrates sentenced Murphy to a community order.

He will spend the next four weeks under curfew, with an electronic tag keeping at his home between 7pm and 6am.

Murphy was also told to pay an £85 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.