A Pembroke Dock man was spotted sprinting away from a store with bags of stolen meat and cosmetics during a shop-lifting spree.

Jason William McClarnon, of Bethel Road, pleaded guilty to theft from a shop when he appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Monday, August 3.

Stacey Holmes, prosecuting, said staff at Tesco, Pembroke Dock, spotted McClarnon, 34, in the store on December 4, but he ran off when they approached him.

“He sprinted across the car park with two bags and jumped the fence to get away from staff.”

Officers recovered £129.17 of fresh meat and cosmetics and found McClarnon in the kitchen, when their investigations led them to an address in Pembroke Dock.

The court heard that the offence put McClarnon in breach of a conditional discharge.

Mike Kelleher, defending, said McClarnon had already been dealt with for three other shoplifting offences committed in December.

“At the time Mr McClarnon was in a very bad place. He was taking a significant quantity of drugs. He was not a well man and got into what can only be described as a spree.”

He added that when questioned by police, McClarnon replied: “I’m a drug addict and I have no money.”

“He has most certainly cleaned up his act, and he even looks different today because he is no longer taking drugs.”

Magistrates heard that McClarnon was receiving treatment for his drug-misuse.

McCarnon apologised to the bench as he was handed a 12-month conditional discharge.

Magistrates ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £31 surcharge.

The chairman of the bench said: “This was a spree of rather foolish thefts. We are glad however that you are engaging with the help you are being given.”