A THIEF will complete 100 hours of unpaid work and pay a £250 fine after admitting to stealing £70 worth of items from Lakeland Limited Warehouse.

On 14 December 2020, Daniel Stewart, of Torwoodlee Road, Galashiels, trespassed into the Westmorland Business Park building and took items including a tobacco tin and a rucksack containing boots and food from a cloakroom.

Stewart, 19, was spoken to by police and told them where the items were but were not recovered, South Cumbria Magistrates' Court heard on Tuesday.

Defence solicitor Mr Andy Gallagher told magistrates that this was Stewart's first appearance in court.

Mr Gallagher added: "At the time, he was working in the area where he committed the offence. He doesn't really know why he committed the offence, the premises were insecure and it is unclear why he has gone inside for an estimated 15 minutes."

The chair of the bench said: "You have never been in trouble before and have now lost your good character in an act of absolute stupidity fuelled by alcohol."