A man with a 'shocking' record for dishonesty offences managed to stay out of trouble for 12 months.

Blackburn magistrates heard the 'remarkable progress' made by Kristopher Murphy came to an end when he went on a shoplifting spree.

The court was told all five shoplifting offences put Murphy in breach of a criminal behaviour order which banned him from every shop in Accrington town centre.

Murphy, 32, of Thwaites Road, Oswaldtwistle, pleaded guilty to five charges of shoplifting and seven charges of breaching a criminal behaviour order.

After hearing Murphy was subject to a Crown Court suspended sentence he was committed in custody to be sentenced at Burnley Crown Court.

Tracy Yates, prosecuting, said the three-year criminal behaviour order had been made in August 2019 as a result of repeated shoplifting offences.

It banned Murphy from retail premises in and around Accrington town centre. The latest offences were committed between July 24 and July 30.

When he was interviewed by police Murphy admitted the offences and blamed a problem with his benefits.

“He said it had been a last resort,” said Mrs Yates.

Peter King, defending, said his client’s record was pretty shocking.

“Before this spree his last offence was in February 2019 and the judge who dealt with that deferred sentence for six months,” said Mr King.

“Because of the progress he made the judge them imposed a suspended sentence of 16 weeks in January of this year. He has made remarkable progress however, this rack of offences put him in breach of that order.”