“Sheer stupidity” led a teenager to fraudulently claim a self-service machine failed to give him £19 in change, a court has heard.

Josh Neil, of Ocean Field, Clydebank, previously pleaded guilty to the crime at the town’s Asda on June 5.

The 19-year-old had gone to purchase a £1 “domestic item” and pretended to staff he had put in £20 and not been given change.

He got both the item and £19 as a result.

Defence solicitor Scott Adair said: “It seems to be an act of sheer stupidity.

“He really is at a loss to explain why he did what he did.”

But though he pleaded guilty from the outset, Sheriff Simon Pender gave him no credit given his significant record.

He called Neil a “persistent offender” and ordered him to do 300 hours of unpaid work in the community within 12 months, the maximum.

Sheriff Pender added: “If you come back before me and have not complied to the letter, then to jail you will go.”

Last year, Neil was hauled to court for breaking three community payback orders for crimes in 2015.

Sheriff William Gallacher detained him for two months and said he was “not optimistic” he wouldn’t see Neil back in court.