A man accused of stealing two bottles of champagne claimed he got them as a gift for fixing a boiler.

Ian Hinchcliffe allegedly took the alcohol, worth £36, from Marks and Spencer in Huddersfield town centre on April 24.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court heard that shortly before 4pm a customer at the New Street store alerted staff that the two bottles of champagne had been taken.

The thief was described as wearing a distinctive stripped woolly hat and a dark coloured coat.

Alex Bozman, prosecuting, said that half-an-hour later police were directed to Wakefield Road by the town’s CCTV operators following an incident at Sainsbury’s in Market Street.

They located 36-year-old Hinchcliffe who had in his possession the M&S bottles of champagne and was carrying a stripped woolly hat in a bag, magistrates were told.

Sainsbury's, Market Street, Huddersfield.

Hinchcliffe, of Wakefield Road in Dalton, was arrested and tested positive for the misuse of Class A drugs.

He denies the charge of theft from a shop and faces trial on June 12.

His solicitor Sonia Kidd told magistrates that he’s a gas fitter by trade and said he was given the champagne as a gift from a friend’s mum after fixing her boiler .

He added that he bought the hat from Primark and many people in the town had one that was similar.

Hinchcliffe appeared at the Huddersfield via a prison video link.

He was refused bail and will next appear at the court on May 31.