A DRUNKEN man stole a pizza delivery man's takings and used to them treat pubgoers.

Kieron Naylor let himself into the passenger seat of Ian Laurukenas' car and demanded he drive him to get beer before snatching £155 from the victim's hand and running off.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Mr Laurukenas was working for the Pizza 2 Go takeaway on Entwistle Street on the evening of May 15 when Naylor, a regular customer, walked in and asked for an ice cream.

Brian Berlyne, prosecuting, said Mr Laurukenas refused and walked out to his car to make a delivery.

"Mr Naylor opened the passenger door and got in, uninvited," he said.

"There was £155 in the centre console, which was the takings for the business, and Mr Laurukenas picked it up to keep it safe from Mr Naylor. When Mr Naylor saw him do that he appeared to become angry."

The driver agreed to take Naylor home. "He agreed somewhat reluctantly in order to pacify Mr Naylor," said Mr Berlyne.

Naylor then demanded beer during the 10 minute journey and tried to make a grab for the cash in Mr Laurukenas' pocket. The driver transferred the money in his hand.

"He drove off again and Mr Naylor then pulled the handbrake and pulled the cash out of Laurukenas' hand," said Mr Berlyne, who added that Naylor got out of the car and ran off.

The victim was said to have been "shocked" by the incident and feared the stolen money would be taken out of his wages.

Naylor, of Toronto Street, Breightmet, pleaded guilty to theft, with Judge Timothy Stead telling him the offence fell "not far short of robbery".

Mark Friend, defending, stressed that the crime was unsophisticated and spontaneous.

He said: "It was done solely to fund what had become a prodigious alcohol problem," adding that Naylor had developed the addiction after freeing himself of crack cocaine.

Mr Friend said that 33-year-old Naylor spent the cash immediately.

"It perhaps says it all that, when the defendant left the vehicle with that money, he went straight to a local shop and purchased alcohol before going to a public house and buying drinks for those present," he said.

Sentencing Naylor to six months in prison, Judge Stead told him: "You have a dreadful record of offending. You have been in the grip of addiction of one sort or another for a long time.

"It was a bullying sort of offence. This £155 meant a lot to the victim.."

The sentence will be served after a separate six month prison term Naylor is already serving for witness intimidation.