A MAN who stole charity collection boxes from a bingo hall has been jailed.

Matthew David Holland appeared at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court to be sentenced after admitting the offence.

He was charged with stealing a collection box owned by St Mary’s Hospice from Apollo Bingo in Barrow’s Hollywood Park on September 11.

The box was said to have contained £30.

Holland also took a collection box for Great Ormond Street Hospital containing £10 on September 14.

The 39-year-old, of Conway Gardens, Walney, pleaded guilty to the charges.

Holland was said to have entered the bingo hall just before 12pm on the day in question and swiped in using his membership card.

He was said to have been seen hanging around the reception area, looking at his phone by the slot machines.

It was said that just before 1.30pm he walked he walked over to the front counter and picked up the St Mary's Hospice collection box, a blue drum with a white label, and concealed it under his coat.

He then walked out of the front door of the bingo hall.

Magistrates jailed Holland for eight weeks for the offences.

The defendant was also told to pay £30 in compensation.

The sentence was said to have been aggravated because the offence was committed during a period of post-sentence supervision.

His actions were also said to be 'callous offences that impact not only on the charities but those that they seek to help."