A desperate man stole after he was released from prison without any funds.
Steven Carr, 43, was before Kirklees magistrates yesterday.
He admitted thefts from three stores in the town.
His solicitor likened his situation to living in a Third World country and said that he had been forced to either steal or starve.
The court heard that Carr stole £6 worth of goods from the King Street branch of Boots on August 15.
On that date a member of staff witnessed him concealing various items in a bag and leaving the store without paying.
Just days later on August 21, Carr stole two bottles of wine from Asda in Aspley.
Carr, of Trinity Street, Huddersfield, admitted the two charges.
He also asked magistrates to take a theft of a bottle of Frosty Jack’s cider from Iceland into account when sentencing him.
Mike Sisson-Pell, mitigating, said that earlier that month his client had been released from custody without a penny to his name.
He said: “He immediately made a claim for benefits and a crisis loan.
“He was told that they don’t do these loans anymore and it would be three to four weeks until he got his benefits.
“Having gone without anything to eat or drink he resorted to stealing.
“It was only last week that he found out about the Mission in town where food parcels are handed out.
“In this day and age we seem to be living in a Third World country where people have nothing to support themselves and find themselves in a situation of either starving or stealing.”
Mr Sisson-Pell added that Carr had no wish to return to prison but had been desperate after trying to get help through the right channels.
Magistrates gave Carr a conditional discharge for 12 months.
He was still ordered to pay £14 compensation and £15 victim surcharge.
