A SUPERMARKET security guard was forced to jump out of the way of a car driven by a man who had stolen a trolley-load of shopping, a court heard.

The man was reaching into the car to grab the keys of Christopher Brock's BMW when he pulled away suddenly.

District judge Tim Rose, sitting at Plymouth Magistrates' Court, said the security guard was "shrugged off" in the car park of Sainsbury's at Marsh Mills.

He added: "Being realistic about it, you put someone in danger."

Mr Rose gave him a two-month electronically monitored curfew, save for four nights when he is on a family holiday. He must also pay £85 prosecution costs.

Brock, aged 31, of Beacon Park Road, admitted driving without due care and attention and theft of food worth £161 from Sainsbury's on October 5.

Gareth Warden, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said Brock was spotted pushing a trolley full of food from the supermarket without payment.

He added security officers saw him get into a car and tried to stop him driving away.

Mr Warden said: "He did drive off with the door open, forcing the guard to jump out of the way. He had put his hand into the car to grab the keys."

The court heard the man was not hurt.

Probation officer Bernie Ross, giving a report on Brock, said: "Both he and his brother have battled with heroin over the years.

"He has more or less sorted it out but his brother was ill at the time and wanted money to buy drugs."

She added they wanted to steal food to sell to buy drugs.

Mrs Ross said he panicked and drove away when security guards tried to stop him.

Brock's solicitor Owen Lawton said: "He is on the road to recovery but there have been one or two lapses."

He added he was stealing on behalf of his brother who was "too ill to do the deed".

Mr Rose also endorsed Brock's licence with six penalty points.