A COUPLE passing fake £20 notes were caught after a greengrocer in Kidderminster town centre became suspicious and alerted a community support officer, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Rose Janes was detained and while she was being questioned at the police station, her boyfriend William Smith turned up and he too was arrested, said Kerry Moreton, prosecuting.

His car, which he had parked on the police station forecourt, was searched and 13 more dud notes were found in the driver's door pocket.

Janes, 25, and Smith, 30, both of Farm Road, Stourport, pleaded guilty to passing and possessing counterfeit currency on April 8 this year.

Janes, described by Judge Andrew Geddes as the "pawn" in the joint enterprise, was given a 36-week prison sentence suspended for two years.

Sentence on Smith was adjourned after his barrister, David Swinnerton, told the judge that he was prepared to reveal who had sold him the counterfeit notes.

The judge said that if this information was genuine and led to the supplier and possibly the source of the fake currency it would affect the length of the inevitable prison sentence. He remanded Smith in custody for the information to be checked.