A HOMELESS father stole toys to give to his child for Christmas and to pay for his drug habit, a court was told.

Thomas Allen, 32, of St Paul’s Hostel, in Tallow Hill, Worcester, stole a remote control helicopter on Wednesday, November 30.

He wanted to give the £20 toy to his child for Christmas but he was caught on CCTV.

Allen then returned to the WH Smith shop, in Droitwich, on Saturday, December 3, and took two radio controlled wall climbers.

He stole the items, which were worth £39.97, to fund his drug habit, the prosecution said.

Worcester Magistrates Court heard that police were unable to recover the goods and that the defendant had sold them.

David Ollivere, defending, said: “These offences were committed at a time when he was homeless and using drugs heavily.”

Mr Ollivere added that the defendant had a period from 2013 to 2016 where he was not offending.

“He then has an appalling 2016,” he said.

"Sadly he lost accommodation, his partner took his child and that triggered a bad relapse and a series of offences."

Mr Ollivere said Allen has now managed to get accommodation in St Paul’s Hostel, Worcester, and has obtained benefits.

Magistrates said they recognised that the offences happened before Allen’s last sentencing at Redditch Magistrates Court and said, ideally, they should have been dealt with at the same time.

They handed Allen a conditional discharge of 12 months and ordered him to pay £135 in costs, £59.97 in compensation and a £20 victim surcharge.