A MAN stole food from two Huddersfield stores because he was struggling to survive on his benefits.
Darren Croft, of Spring Street, Springwood, appeared before Kirklees magistrates yesterday.
He admitted stealing meat from the Lindley branch of Sainsbury’s on November 22.
The 36-year-old also pleaded guilty to stealing a packet of biscuits from a town centre store on December 6.
Vanessa Schofield, prosecuting, said that during the first theft Croft concealed seven packets of gammon inside his jacket.
The theft of the meat, worth £28, was later discovered on store CCTV footage and police were alerted.
The following month Croft stole a packet of Jammie Dodgers from Poundland on Victoria Lane.
This time he was spotted by a security guard and detained outside the store.
Both thefts happened while Croft was subject to a court imposed community order.
Croft said he intended to eat the stolen food.
Magistrates heard that he received £30 a week in benefits and found it difficult to survive on this amount of money.
The bench gave Croft a conditional discharge for 12 months.
They ordered him to pay £28 compensation for the stolen meat and £15 victim surcharge.
