Stealing pub property for a drunken attempt at skipping led to a New Year’s Eve court appearance for a Haverfordwest man.

Andrew Paul Lowndes, of Goshawk Road, pleaded guilty to theft and Class A drug possession when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday, December 31.

Prosecutor Sian Vaughan said Lowndes, 48, began skipping with a barrier rope while drinking in Wetherspoons, Haverfordwest, of August 2.

He then concealed the £56 rope in a bag and left the premises with it.

Police discovered 0.2 grams of diamorphine when they searched his home looking for the rope on December 10.

The court heard that Lowndes had previous convictions for drug related offences.

Jonathan Webb, defending, said: “Mr Lowndes was drinking, messing around and picking up the rope to skip with it. It was a particularly silly thing to compound this by taking the rope and walking away.”

Mr Webb added that Lowndes did not know what happened to the stolen item, but suspected he must have drunkenly lost it on his way home.

“He apologises to Wetherspoons.”

The court heard that Lowndes accepted the drugs found were his, but he no longer took them and assumed the substances were in his home from previous use.

Mr Webb said: “It was a drunk and foolish theft back in August, and minor possession of a very small amount.

“He was a user in the past and did not know that the items were there.”

Magistrates ordered Lowndes to pay £393 in fines, costs, compensation and a surcharge.

A destruction order was made for the seized drugs.

The chairman of the bench said: “Obviously this was a stupid thing to do in Wetherspoons, and which has had these ramifications.”