A 'flagrant disregard for court orders' has seen a thief being sent to prison after he stole hundreds of pounds worth of power tools from B&Q in Penryn.

Jack Edward Pickering also admitted committing four other offences, which he asked to be taken into consideration when being sentenced by Truro Magistrates' Court. The exact nature of these offences were not listed by the court.

Magistrates heard that 36-year-old Pickering, from Falmouth, had carried out offences "within hours" of being released from the court on a previous occasion.

The offence he was in court over took place on November 2 this year, at Penryn's B&Q store.

Here he was said to have stolen £328 worth of power tools and associated items from the store.

Pickering, whose address was given as Simon House Rehabilitation Centre in Trevethan Road, Falmouth, pleaded guilty to the charge and admitted four other offences.

Magistrates sent him to prison for eight weeks, saying the offence was so serious because "the defendant has a flagrant disregard for court orders", because of similar offences committed within hours of being released from that court, and because the offence was aggravated by the defendant's record of previous offending.

Pickering was also ordered to pay three lots of compensation, worth £100, £5 and £57 respectively, all relating to offences taken into consideration.

In addition, he must pay Crown Prosecution Service costs of £85.

He was told by the magistrates that the sentence would have been more severe had it not been for him pleading guilty at the first opportunity.