A 44-YEAR-OLD man was slapped with a fine after he admitted stealing when he was caught wearing three pairs of jeans.

A 44-YEAR-OLD man was slapped with a fine after he admitted stealing when he was caught wearing three pairs of jeans.

South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court heard how Mark Wright, of Westholme Road, Ipswich, went into Debenhams with the intention of exchanging two pair of denim jeans that his girlfriend had bought him as he did not like the style.

However as he had no receipt, the shop would not exchange it so he took two pairs of jeans into the changing room and ended up leaving the store wearing them.

Prosecuting Andrea Reynolds said that on November 30 last year a CCTV camera spotted Wright repeatedly leaving the changing room, bringing back more jeans to try on.

She said: “The defendant was trying on jeans. He came out and then took two more pairs in. The labels and security tags were left in the dressing room.

“He was arrested and it was found he was wearing two pairs of new jeans under his own jeans. He told police that he gets cold and likes to wear more than one pair.”

He pleaded guilty on Wednesdayto theft and failing to surrender to police bail on January 4.

Mitigating for himself, Wright, said: “I had gone to Debenhams to exchange them. I didn't have the receipt so I decided to change them myself, which was silly.”

Magistrates gave him a £50 fine and ordered him to pay £60 costs and £15 victim surcharge. There was no separate penalty for the bail offence as magistrates agreed there was a misunderstanding.

Chair of the bench, David Brennan, said: “I think you recognise this is wrong.”

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