A BRICKLAYER staged a grocery shoplifting expedition to York because he had no money in the run-up to Christmas, the city’s magistrates heard.

Robert Page, 40, and a woman filled a trolley with items worth £289.09 at ASDA’s Jockey Lane store on December 23, Kathryn Reeve, prosecuting, said.

They took bags from the self service tills and steered the trolley into the store’s cafe where they transferred its contents into the bags.

Then they tried to walk out without paying.

But staff had been watching them on CCTV and they were stopped and arrested.

Page, of Victoria Road, Scarborough, pleaded guilty to theft and was fined £266 with a £30 statutory surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

“It was a silly thing a time. I was just skint,” Page, who represented himself, told magistrates.

“It was just running up to Christmas, there was no work at the time. It was a silly thing to do.”

“You appear to be a rather pathetic figure,” magistrates told him.

Page said he was working on the day of the hearing and returned to a building site after he was sentenced.

Co-accused Amber Treadwell, 32, of Scarborough Road, Filey, was unable to attend court and her case was adjourned to a later date.