Illiterate thief David Burvill stole meat from Co-op in Herne Bay on two successive days.

The 26-year-old wanted to sell the meat so he could make some money, magistrates in Canterbury heard.

He took one lot of meat on November 10 last year and went back the next day to steal another lot, but was stopped walking out of the Sea Street shop.

Jobless Burvill, who lives in a High Street flat, was arrested and at court admitted two thefts of meat worth about £30.

William Nelson, defending, told the court Burvill had been addicted to “various drugs” and suffered from severe learning difficulties which made him completely illiterate.

“He has a great deal of difficulty understanding the conventions of modern life and these were an unsophisticated theft,” Mr Nelson said.

“He has exceeding low IQ, is of subnormal intelligence and has numerous learning difficulties.”

Mr Nelson added that Burvill had just spent two months in prison for breaching the terms of a community order.

He was “bullied and tormented” while inside and had since cleaned himself up and turned his life around, Mr Nelson added.

Magistrates gave Burvill a 12-month conditional discharge with £85 costs.