A nuisance drinker stole meat from a town centre butchers twice in two weeks while drunk.

Desmond Ryan, once labelled a “member of the Huddersfield town centre nuisance drinkers’ club” due to his alcohol-fuelled offending in the town, was in court last month over a theft from Crawshaws.

He was fined after being caught taking five packs of steak from the New Street shop on April 22.

The 60-year-old’s solicitor described the offence as unsophisticated and explained that he was so drunk he couldn’t committing it.

Now Ryan, of Whitehead Lane in Primrose Hill , admitted targeting the same butchers again while in a similar state.

On April 6 a passing Police Community Support Officer was approached by a member of the public who described seeing him stealing from the store, Kirklees magistrates were told on Monday.

Prosecutor Andy Wills said that the officer stopped Ryan, who questioned him: “How did you catch me?”

Kirklees Magistrates' Court, Huddersfield

The stolen meat, two packs of pork steaks worth £5 each, were returned and Ryan was arrested after CCTV footage confirmed the theft.

The court heard that Ryan had 111 offences to his name, 48 of which were theft related.

His long history of run-ins with the law started in 1976 when he was in his early 20s.

Much of his offending is related to his constant breaches of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders and, more recently, his Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO).

The two-year order was made in October 2016 due to his persistent nuisance offending in the town and included a ban on possessing an open container of alcohol in Huddersfield town centre.

Kirklees Magistrates court sign.

Last September he was jailed for 10 weeks after breaching his CBO twice in one month and District Judge Michael Fanning told him he was a member of the “Huddersfield town centre nuisance drinkers’ club.”

He added: “The local authority and police are trying to break this up and a number of you have orders to prevent you being a drunken nuisance.”

Ryan is currently subject to post-sentence supervision following his release from prison and is said to be progressing well.

His solicitor Ian Whiteley said of his latest offence: “He can’t remember it. He’s a gentleman who’s had a long-standing drink issue.”

Magistrates gave him a six month conditional discharge, meaning that he will not be punished unless he commits any further offences during this time.

He must pay £20 victim surcharge but will not have to pay court prosecution costs.