A meat thief has denied going missing during his curfew hours.

Sean McInerney, of Bishops Court in Berry Brow , was convicted of stealing meat products from Tesco in Huddersfield in September.

He was sentenced to a community order with an electronically-monitored curfew for 16 weeks.

The curfew runs between 7pm and 7am at his flat until February next year.

But the 38-year-old was arrested after allegedly breaching this order, made as a direct alternative to custody.

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District Judge Michael Fanning was told that he was missing when staff from the Electronic Monitoring Service (EMS) went to fit his curfew equipment on October 18 and again the following day.

They reported that the flat was in darkness but McInerney says this was because he had no money to pay for electricity.

The court was told that he was then arrested for failing to show up for a hearing about the alleged community order breach.

He denies committing an offence, telling Judge Fanning; “I was in the whole time.”

His case was adjourned until November 28 for the Probation Service to make further enquiries and bailed in the meantime.