When Benjamin Gordon decided to get his girlfriend something special for her birthday, he stole handcuffs from Canterbury’s Ann Summers store.

Magistrates were told that Gordon, 22, was seen acting suspiciously in the Whitefriars shop and then leaving with a set of black handcuffs and a set of pink handcuffs, plus some tape worth a total of £30.

Prosecutor Chris Mayo said: “After his arrest, he told the police it was a stupid thing to do, but said it was his girlfriend’s birthday and he wanted to get her something special.”

Magistrate Anne Norris asked Gordon what his girlfriend would have thought about receiving stolen presents.

He said: “I wasn’t going to tell her they were stolen, obviously.”

Jobless Gordon, of Godfrey Walk, Ashford, admitted theft and breaching a conditional discharge given to him for criminal damage. He was given a 12-month community order and ordered to pay £60 costs.