Beef, stolen in a bid to raise funds for drugs, has cost a Milford Haven man more than £180.

Ian Michael Power, of Larch Road, Mount Estate, pleaded guilty to theft from a shop when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday, September 18.

The court heard that he 3 stole two joints of beef worth £18.66 from the Food Warehouse, Milford Haven, and simply walked out on September 3.

Power, 42, was identified from CCTV footage, but the meat had disappeared by the time police caught up with him.

Mark Layton, defending, said: “He accepts that he had taken two bits of beef. He took them with the intention of selling them on, but when police apprehended him he discarded them.”

Mr Layton added that Power, who had previous convictions for 100 previous offences, had his medication temporarily suspended at the time in question.

“This to some extent affected his judgement. He was trying to get some money to purchase drugs that he would normally get on prescription.”

The court heard that Power’s offending had recently become less frequent.

Magistrates fined £80 and ordered Power to pay £18.66 compensation, £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

The chairman of the bench said: “It was a very expensive joint of meat for you.”

Power apologised to the court as he left the dock.