A PEMBROKE Dock man has been jailed for 12 weeks after he pleaded guilty to stealing clothes from a shop in the town.

Jamie Hedley, aged 34, of Pembroke Street, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday, December 3.

Prosecuting, Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the Court: “At ten to four in the afternoon on November 2, police were called to the Select shop in Pembroke Dock to reports of a shoplifter in the store.

“When police arrived the defendant was standing outside the shop with bag. In it were three items of clothing, totalling £42.97.

“The items were recovered but they were damaged in some way.

“The defendant was arrested and he fully admitted he had taken the items. He was asked to go back into the shop and give the items back.”

Defending, Jonathan Webb said: “He admitted taking the items in interview and he entered an early guilty plea.

“He was stopped directly outside the shop so I am surprised there is any claim for compensation.

“This is shoplifting at the lowest end of the scale and clearly he was caught red-handed. He came out of prison last year and he is on supervision. That is due to run out next week so he has done very well up until the last month and he has done something as stupid as this.”

The court heard that the compensation claim was made because Hedley had taken the tags off the clothes which had made a hole in them.

Probation officer Julie Norman said that this was his second breach since being released, adding that Hedley had said he was short of money and had taken the items with a view to selling them on.

When asked if he could do unpaid work Hedley said no.

Magistrates said his record was "not too good" and that, because he wouldn’t do unpaid work, they sent him to prison for 12 weeks.

He will also have to pay £85 in court costs a £122 victim surcharge and £42.97 in compensation.