A man who stole five bottles of wine from the Co-op in St Ives told the police he was on a bender for about three weeks having had a breakdown in his relationship, and thought he was likely to have been highly intoxicated when he committed the offence.

He said he had a problem with alcohol but was in recovery until the breakdown, when he started drinking again.

He was David Andrew Adrian Jones, 31, of Penbothidno, Constantine, who pleaded guilty at Truro Magistrates’ Court to taking the wine on March 15.

Jones, who had previous convictions, had cut down on his drinking now, said his solicitor Rob Eccleston.

He was fined £160 with £100 costs and surcharge and told to pay compensation of £45.