A man stole spirits to drown his sorrows after his partner of 12 years left him.

Dean Barrowcliffe was caught taking two bottles of alcohol from Shillbank Stores in Mirfield on July 23 last year.

He was helped by a relative and they downed the drink after escaping from the convenience store.

The 44-year-old appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court from custody and pleaded guilty to shoplifting.

Prosecutor Andy Wills said that Barrowcliffe along with his co-accused Michael Senior entered the store at 6.20pm.

Kirklees Magistrates Court
Kirklees Magistrates Court

They wanted to use the cash back service but staff refused to serve them and they were asked to leave.

The pair returned a few minutes later but workers then realised that they were banned from the store and they were again asked to leave the shop.

Mr Wills said: “They placed same alcohol on the counter and asked for some cigarettes.

“When staff would not serve them Barrowcliffe took the two bottles of spirits walking out of the store, telling them what he thought of them while he was leaving.”

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The theft was caught on CCTV and Barrowcliffe, of Turnsteads Mount in Cleckheaton, tested positive for the misuse of cocaine and opiates upon his arrest.

Magistrates were told that he had 51 offences on his record and was jailed for 18 months in 2014 for possession of Class B drugs with intent to supply them.

Senior, 30, of Lee Road in Ravensthorpe, was in December jailed for 16 weeks for his part in the theft and five other shoplifting offences.

Mohammed Arif, mitigating, explained that his client recently split from his partner of 12 years with whom he had three children.

He said: “He was very upset about the whole situation and has taken the spirits simply to drown his sorrows with his relative.”

Magistrates fined Barrowcliffe £80 and ordered him to pay £85 prosecution costs plus £12.99 contribution towards the cost of the stolen alcohol.