Magistrates told a burglar, who left his family stranded and penniless in Haverfordwest, to ‘get out of Wales’.

Darren O’Connor, 32, from Dublin, appeared from custody at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday, March 19.

He pleaded guilty to possession of diamorphine and stealing £80 of food and alcohol after entering the County Hotel as a trespasser on March 18.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, said O’Connor was left unattended in the reception area after arriving with his partner and children at the County Hotel, Haverfordwest, at 2am.

A member of staff found him with bottles of alcohol in his hands, and noticed her keys were not where she left them.

When challenged, O’Connor apologised and stated the door was open, handing over keys to a cupboard and another room from his pocket.

He was found to have taken bottles of wine, rum, alco-pops, fruit shoots and barbeque crisps totalling £80.

Police found foil containing heroin when they searched O’Connor following his arrest.

Mark Layton, defending, said O’Connor’s bank card was swallowed by a cash machine after his family got off the ferry, and the theft had been opportunistic.

“That left the family in some difficulty. He stepped into an unauthorised area and took the items, which were recovered.

“He made full and frank admissions at the police station and has been in custody since his arrest.”

The court heard the family had missed the ferry they were due to return home on, and O’Connor’s partner had been stranded in Haverfordwest with no access to money.

“He is genuinely sorry that he has made such a mess of things and caused such a problem for his partner and their children.”

The chairman of the bench said while visitors were normally welcome in Pembrokeshire, O’Connor was not.

“You bring drugs into the county, you are using heroin, the worst bit is that you have got your partner and children in tow.

“You should be ashamed of yourself.

“We are not going to do anything today, I just want you to get on the ferry and get out of Wales.”

A destruction order was made for the seized drugs.