A Pembroke man who flew off without paying for a cooked chicken from a supermarket has been given a 12-month conditional discharge.

Twenty-five-year-old Robert William James, of West Street, The Green, pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared before District Judge Vivian Manning-Davies at Haverfordwest court on Tuesday.

The prosecution told the court that on April 20, a security officer at the Tesco store in Pembroke Dock spotted the defendant taking the cooked chicken from a hot food counter in the store and then headed to the toilet with the item.

He then went towards the till area where he met up with a friend who was purchasing alcohol.

Mr. James then left the store without paying for the chicken, but abandoned it outside soon after.

Judge Manning-Davies gave the defendant a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay costs of £85 and £5 compensation to Tesco.