A man stole food and drink form a supermarket in Pembroke, as he hadn't eaten for three days, a court heard on Tuesday.

Twenty-seven-year-old Shaun Andrew Clawson, of Cromwell Court, Station Road, Pembroke, pleaded guilty to a charge of theft, when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates court, admitting to stealing an uncooked chicken and a bottle of Coke from the Co-op store in the town, on Wednesday, August 29.

Gerald Neave, prosecuting, told the court that a member of staff at the store had spotted Mr. Clawson on the CCTV system and was concerned as he had stolen from the shop previously.

The defendant was seen putting several items into his carrier bag, but only paid for a pack of batteries at the checkout. When he was stopped at the exit, he showed a member of staff the contents of his bag, which included the chicken and Coke he hadn't paid for, but still walked out of the store.

He was arrested two weeks later after he had been identified by police officers who had viewed the CCTV footage.

Mr. Clawson told officers when interviewed over the theft: "To be honest, it was food because I hadn't eaten for three days and I didn't have any money."

Magistrates heard that the defendant was also in breach of a conditional discharge given in November of 2010 for a shoplifting offence.

His solicitor, Jonathan Webb, told the court that his client had let temptation get the better of him, but that it was through necessity.

He added that Mr. Clawson was only 28 days short of fully carrying out the conditional discharge he was given in 2010, and this was his first offence over that period.

Magistrates fined Mr. Clawson £90 for the theft and ordered him to pay costs of £60 and a £15 victim surcharge.

He was fined a further £75 for breaking the conditional discharge relating to the previous shoplifting offence.