David Fairweather admitted selling unclassified videos and magazines
from the Pirate Shop, on New Hall Lane in the city and was ordered to pay more than £1,500.

However, the 43-year-old insisted that he did not own the shop and was unaware that it was not licensed to sell the material.

He pleaded guilty eight charges of selling restricted 18-rated and unclassified videos which magistrates in Preston heard showed "graphic sex scenes".

Trading Standards officer Nick McNamara, of Lancashire County Council,
said: "Regardless of your attitude towards this type of shop, it is true to say that licensed sex shops pay a hefty price to stock this
type of product.

"These fees are currently £769 for the first licence and £384 every other year and there are checks on the location of licensed shops
and on the people who run them, and no such checks were carried out here."

The magistrates told him that the material – which was 189 unclassified DVDs and related paraphernalia – seized in the raids March this year would be destroyed.

Darren Ball, defending,said that Mr Fairweather, of Sun Street, Oswaldtwistle,as happy for the destruction because it belonged to the owner of the shop, who he said ran another premises in Lancashire.

He added that his client had no previous convictions and was now looking to set up a "decent, little" landscape gardening business in
the new year.

Mr Fairweather was ordered to pay £1,100 in fines for the eight separate
charges and £482.04 costs.

Magistrate John Eastham said: "This is an unfortunate incident which I hope you can now put behind you and get on with setting up a reputable business."