A MAN who tried to buy a bottle of Coca Cola from a Bicester Village stall with a fake note has been jailed.

Omar Trueman, of Orchard Street, London, had denied a count of possessing counterfeit currency with intent and another of attempting to pass the currency as genuine but went on to plead guilty ahead of his trial.

Oxford Crown Court heard at his sentencing on Tuesday how the 24-year old had come to the Oxfordshire outlet centre armed with a number of fake notes.

At about 3.25pm on October 9, prosecutor Alexandra Bull said, Trueman tried to buy the £2 bottled refreshment from a food stall.

An eagle-eyed sales assistant noticed ‘an unusual feel’ to the £20 note, the court heard, and described the Queen’s head which typically adorns the high value currency, as ‘messy’.

She refused the sale and took it upon herself to snap Trueman on her mobile phone before contacting security. On reviewing CCTV he was seen to visit a crepe stall with another £20 in a bid to purchase further items.

He was approached and soon after arrested where he denied knowing the notes were fake, despite a number of them having identical serial numbers.

At his sentencing hearing the court heard that he had a number of previous convictions largely for criminal damage and spraying graffiti.

In mitigation, Vanessa Halai urged the court for leniency in light of her client’s mother's declining health and Trueman’s role acting as her carer and said he was committed to putting his past behind him.

Sentencing Judge Ian Pringle QC said that the offence was so grave he had no option but to impose a custodial sentence.

He said that passing counterfeit currency posed ‘a major threat to the economy of this country’ and as a result had to be treated very seriously.

Trueman was jailed for 10 months for both counts to run concurrently and must pay a victim surcharge.