A MAN blew kisses to his girlfriend in the public gallery as he was taken back into custody at Worcester Magistrates Court.

Jamie Brookes, of Goodrest Walk, Worcester, had pleaded guilty to burglary, theft and criminal damage. The 21-year-old had ripped up a blanket belonging to West Mercia Police when he found himself in custody amid fears that if he was remanded his partner of a year would want nothing more to do with him.

Mark Turnbull, defending, said it was believed Brookes meant to do “something very stupid” on Saturday, September 8, when he tried to create a noose from the blanket before it was taken from him. Brookes had been arrested for taking a laptop from a home in Bromwich Road, Worcester, where he was supposed to mow the lawn on Sunday, June 17.

Initially, he had meant to tend to the lawn on Saturday but was unable to complete it and returned the next day. The following day, the homeowner told him to leave it as he was going out.

The court was told the man returned home to find his laptop missing from the lounge and believed that Brookes had watched him hide his house key near the conservatory. The victim spoke to a man who knew Brookes and the man bought the laptop back from him for £45.

While staying at Travelodge in Redditch on Thursday, August 30, Brookes and his partner were seen by a member of staff filling a basket full of food items at Bordesley garage and leaving the store without paying.

The court was told police had found the couple staying at the Travelodge where £18.25 of food items had either been consumed or were unsuitable for resale.

Mr Turnbull said: “Effectively, they had run out of money when they went into the garage and stole a number of food items.”

Brookes was sentenced to six weeks in custody taking into account the three weeks already served. As he was led away by a police officer he began blowing kisses at his girlfriend who had sat through the trial in the public gallery. Brookes was also ordered to pay £9.13, half the cost of food items stolen from the garage, as well as £10 for the police blanket.