A MAN caught shoplifting at a superstore had two children with him, a court heard.

Asda store detectives watched Stephen Gibling place food, video recorders and even a hi-fi system into his trolley and then walk out without paying.

Gibling, who has a long criminal record, narrowly escaped being sent to jail after a judge heard he had served the equivalent of a four-month sentence while on remand.

Gibling, aged 29, of Knowsley Road, Golborne, appeared at Bolton Crown Court charged with two counts of theft and one of perverting the course of justice.

Paul Treble, prosecuting, said Gibling went into Asda in Leigh and placed two video recorders and pre-packed Indian food worth a total of £204 into his trolley.

He was seen by store detectives to leave the store without paying and was followed outside and brought back into the store.

Gibling told police after his arrest that he did not have any money and gave the details of his brother when asked for his name.

In the interim he served a short prison sentence but, within days of being released, he visited the Golborne branch of Asda where again store detectives watched him on CCTV.

He put two bottles of whisky, a bottle of liqueur and a stereo system into his trolley and walked out without paying. He had two children with him. Paul Becker, defending, said Gibling had 64 thefts and five cases of fraud on his record and was in danger of becoming institutionalised.

Recorder Hiranya Narayan said that normally he would have jailed Gibling but, as he had served the equivalent of a four-month sentence while on remand, he had decided to give him a chance.

He sentenced him to a Community Rehabilitation Order for two years with a proviso he attends the rigorous Think First programme.