A "WELL-dressed" man aroused the suspicions of a store detective who followed him into Marks and Spencer, a court was told.

Blackburn magistrates heard that minutes later, Cameroon asylum seeker Paul Jimjang walked out of the store wearing an £89 jacket under his own coat.

Jimjang, 29, now living in Plymouth but formerly of Mountgood Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to theft and failing to answer bail.

He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and fined £25 with £55 costs.

Clare Fanning, prosecuting, said a loss prevention officer at Debenhams had noticed Jimjang and a number of men over a period of weeks.

She described him as very well-dressed and on the day of the offence she followed him from her own store into Marks and Spencer.

Having left the store he was arrested still wearing the stolen garment.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said his client had not been prepared to reveal to him the reasons why he had left Cameroon to seek asylum in this country.

He said Jimjang had eventually left Blackburn as a result of a racially-motivated attack which explained his absence from court on a previous occasion.

As a result of his arrest in Plymouth he had spent four days in custody which Mr Taylor asked the court to take into consideration.