A MAN and a 14-year-old boy took armfuls of sheepskin rugs from Homesense in York's Foss Island Road, York magistrates heard.

A shop assistant estimated that James Everett Hardy, 45, and the youth took 12 rugs between them on February 26. Each rug was had a sale price of between £40 and £80, said Martin Butterworth, prosecuting.

The pair were only in the store a couple of minutes.

Hardy, formerly of James Street Caravan Site and now of Narrow Lane, North Anston near Sheffield, pleaded guilty to theft.

He was given a 12-month community order with 250 hours unpaid work and was ordered to pay £500 compensation plus £85 prosecution costs and an £85 statutory charge.

For Hardy, John Howard said he had gone into the store to buy some headphones, but on the spur of the moment had decided to take an armful of the rugs.

The boy had copied his action and followed him out.

Mr Butterworth said Hardy had told police he had not encouraged the boy to copy his actions and that the rugs had been dumped in a nearby car park.

A 14-year-old boy was charged with a similar offence.

His case was adjourned while the CPS ask the police to deal with the case in a way that does not involve prosecution. Magistrates heard the boy had no previous convictions.