A MAN has been jailed after attempting to use a counterfeit £20 note in Asda in Warrington.

Wesley Smith, aged 37, was found guilty following a trial at Warrington Crown Court of attempting to use the fake note at the supermarket in the Cockhedge Shopping Centre in July 2014.

The court heard how Smith and another male, who hasn’t been unidentified, visited Asda and passed a note that staff immediately recognised to be a fake.

While the member of staff was calling a supervisor, the two males left the store and got into a car.

But when the car was prevented from leaving the car park, Smith ran off on foot and the driver damaged his car to such an extent that he had to abandon it a short distance away.

Smith was detained nearby but the driver of the vehicle, which was later found to be run on false plates, had escaped.

Recorder David Williams said when sentencing Smith: “Passing forged currency is a serious offence because it could lead to a total lack of trust in money that is being handed over.

“We know that there are a great deal of counterfeit notes circulating in the UK at the moment and yours was only £20 but you were still seeking to pass a forged note.

“I do not accept that this was an impulse action by you. I believe you and your friend chose to go to Asda on a Saturday afternoon when it would be very busy and the staff may have been less vigilant than they were in this case.

“You had other currency on you and could have paid in genuine money but you chose deliberately to pay with the £20 note.

“You left the car when it was blocked – this was a man running away from the scene of a crime he had committed.”

Smith, Worcester Road, Blackburn, was given a six month jail term on June 18.