Thief wore hat seen on CCTV to ID parade

An "unsophisticated" thief turned up for a police ID parade wearing the same hat he had on when he committed the crime, a court heard.

He was wearing a beanie hat when he was caught on CCTV stealing a crate of lager from an off licence.

A police officer recognised him from the pictures and he was asked to attend an identity parade.

When asked to attend an ID parade, he turned up wearing the same beanie hat he had been wearing during the theft, Kidderminster Magistrates' Court heard. A member of staff from the off licence where the lager was taken from picked him out in the identity parade.

Simon Jonathan Chesterton, aged 29, of Tennyson Way, Kidderminster, yesterday admitted stealing a case of Carling lager from Bargain Booze on February 22.

But he told magistrates in Kidderminster that he could not remember anything about the incident.

Chesterton was fined £65, ordered to pay Bargain Booze £14.99 compensation and was also made to pay £60 court costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

The court heard that Chesterton, who has previous convictions for theft, has problems with his short-term memory and had been drinking on the day in question.

He entered the store at around 11am with a woman. The woman went to the till and bought something while Chesterton walked out of the shop with the case containing 24 cans, the court was told. Defence solicitor Fergus Maxwell described the theft as "impulsive and entirely unsophisticated".

He added: "When asked to attend an ID parade, he was wearing the same beanie hat as he was seen wearing in the CCTV.

"He had been drinking that day and had some problems at home – the day's events are somewhat of a blur."

The court heard that Chesterton, who lives with his mother, has problems with his drinking but was taking steps to bring it under control.