A SHOPPER who “purchased” items worth £120 at York Designer Outlet with fake notes has been jailed.

Thomas Roberts, 24, of Oak Avenue, Bradford, admitted having £420 in counterfeit £20 notes at the McArthur Glen centre and failure to attend court.

For him, Tim Gordon said he had run up drug debts as part of a long-standing drug and alcohol addiction.

“He was invited to obtain valuable property using these counterfeit notes.

"Had he got away with it the merchandise would have been supplied to the suppliers in part payment for the debts he had run up.”

Robert was jailed for eight months at York Crown Court, plus two weeks for failure to attend court.

Judge Simon Hickey told him the the use of counterfeit notes undermined "the whole economy of the country".

Roberts had skipped bail when he was originally due to attend court and was brought to court under a bench warrant.

“He simply buried in his head in the sand,” said Mr Gordon.

The court heard staff at the centre realised Roberts had fake notes and stopped him before he could leave.