A THIEF who stole a four pack of lager in Tesco and started drinking a can wanted to get arrested, a court was told.

Burnley magistrates heard how father-of-two Jason Forrest, 44, was at the end of his tether as everything that could go wrong in his life had.

Forrest, of Cog Lane, Burnley, admitted theft to the value of £5.85 at Burnley on June 27. He received a six-month conditional discharge.

Janet Sime, defending, said Forrest had not received by help from anybody. He had been robbed at the beginning of that week and his phone, benefit money and everything else had been taken from him.

The ‘tipping point’ came that day when he was due to see his children and he was beside himself when he couldn’t get funds from anywhere.

Miss Sime said the defendant, who had physical and mental health problems, wasn’t bothered and just wanted to get arrested. The solicitor added: “Just about everything that could go wrong has gone wrong.”