A MAN told shop staff who caught him eating a sandwich he had stolen told them he wanted to go back to prison.

Blackburn magistrates heard that following his arrest Andrew Joseph Fancy told police he desperately wanted to go back to prison and later said if they released him he would commit further offences.

The court was told that days earlier he was arrested for being drunk and disorderly in Casterton Avenue, Burnley, when he was shouting that he wanted to go back to prison.

His persistence paid off when the magistrates jailed him but only for seven days, and not for the offences for which he had been arrested.

Fancy, 43, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to stealing a sandwich from the Co-op, Colne, stealing a bottle of Pink Gin from Bargain Booze and being drunk and disorderly for which he was given a conditional discharge for six months.

He also admitted being in breach of post-sentence supervision and was jailed for seven days for that offence.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said when he was arrested in the Co-op police found the gin stolen from Bargain Booze in his bag.

The court heard that following his release from prison Fancy had failed to attend scheduled meetings with the probation service.

“We have tried to assist him through various agencies,” said Charlie Roberts of the probation service. “Unfortunately, when we set things up for him he doesn’t attend the appointments.”

Glen Smith, defending, said his client had made himself perfectly clear.

“He is sleeping rough and at the present time he has lost all hope for the future,” said Mr Smith.

“You can’t send him to custody simply because he is asking you to but it would appear by his own actions he has left you with no other option.”