A shoplifter deliberately got himself arrested by stealing a T-shirt, a court has heard.

Daniel Graham, 41, of Falcon Street, Workington, pleaded guilty to stealing £350 of goods from Whitehaven’s Tesco on February 27.

He also admitted stealing a T-shirt from Sports Direct in Workington the following day.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting, said Graham tried to push a trolley full of goods out of the supermarket, but was stopped by a security guard.

The court heard that Graham managed to flee but handed himself into Whitehaven police station the next day and was taken to Workington station.

Solicitor Claire Kirkpatrick said her client was released later that day and needed to return to Whitehaven. The court heard police could not take Graham back and he had no money for public transport.

She said the defendant therefore decided to take a T-shirt from Sports Direct “because he knew the security tag would set the alarm off and he wanted to be arrested again because he couldn’t get back”.

Graham was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.