Christopher Brooks was given an absolute discharge at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, after pleading guilty to stealing £12 worth of meat from Asda in Station Road, Hebburn.
The 50-year-old was also ordered to repay the £12 to the store.
Brooks, of Westmorland Court, Hebburn, had entered the store with an empty carrier bag on Friday, October 26, and took a piece of beef and a piece of lamb on display, then left the store without paying.
He jumped on a Metro train to Jarrow and sold the meat. Brooks was captured on CCTV carrying out the offence, and was later arrested by police.
The court heard that Brooks used the cash from the meat to feed himself, as he had missed a week of Jobseeker’s Allowance due to a mix-up over the date of a meeting about his benefits.
Glenda Beck, prosecuting, said: “He was relying on soup kitchens for food.
“He saw the lump of beef and piece of lamb and put them on the floor near some boxes.
“He then left with them without paying. He knew what he did was wrong.”
David Forrester, defending, told the court: “Christopher is a vulnerable adult with learning difficulties
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