A thief has been fined after he stole a £240 jacket while drunk from Sports Direct in the Strand Shopping Centre.

Steven Paul Menton, of Loch Promenade, admitted the theft and was fined £500 by High Bailiff Jayne Hughes.

Prosecutor Roger Kane told the court how 36-year-old Menton was seen by shop staff putting the coat into a Co-op bag on December 17.

He then left the store but set off the alarm as the security tag was still attached to the coat.

Staff took the coat from Menton but he left the store before police arrived.

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He was later arrested and gave a ’no comment’ interview.

Menton entered a basis of plea saying that he was intoxicated at the time of the theft and it had been an impulsive decision to take the coat.

The court heard that Menton’s last conviction was in 2016 and that he was currently working with the Drug and Alcohol Team (DAT).

A probation report also said that Menton said he had been drinking excessively before he went into Sports Direct and that he was dependent on alcohol at the time.

Menton said that he had now not consumed alcohol for five months with support from his partner and DAT.

The report said that community service was not an appropriate option as Menton suffered from anxiety and depression.

Defence advocate Ian Kermode said: ’This was an impulsive act, not planned or pre-meditated. The item was recovered by store staff with the tags still on it. He wishes to apologise to the store, police and your worship.’

Mrs Hughes told Menton while passing sentence: ’You have a very poor record of offending but your offending has slowed considerably in recent years.’

He was also ordered by the High Bailiff to pay £50 prosecution costs.

He will pay the fine and costs at a rate of £20 per week deducted from benefits.