A man who denied stealing bottles of alcohol from the Co-op in Hayle had previously said to his doctor that he was told what to do by aliens, Truro magistrates heard.

Sebastian De Sousa, 36, of Rescorla Court, Hayle, pleaded not guilty to stealing three bottles of vodka worth £45 from the store on July 16.

The court heard he had been seen leaving the store with a wire basket carrying the bottles and had not paid for them.

De Sousa told the magistrates he suffered from mental health problems for which he was taking medication. On this day he had not intended stealing the drink and had £50 on him to pay for what he wanted. While he was in the store he received a telephone call from a friend who owed him £60 who said he would pay him the money outside the store. De Sousa said this distracted him and he went outside, still carrying his basket.

He thought he might have had one of his episodes that day when he would sometimes cut off from reality.

The Bench had heard shop assistant Robert Mallett say that when he confronted defendant outside the store and took his basket from him, he had just stared at him and said nothing. He thought he was “spaced out” and not “with it”. When he had seen him in the store he had not seen him using a phone at any time.

The magistrates found De Sousa not guilty.