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Police hunting an Ashford man for a series of thefts nabbed him....by dialling his mobile phone!

Daniel McAvoy, 38, answered the call and found himself chatting to an officer- who invited him to pop into Folkestone nick for a chat.

But the canny villain knew he would probably be kept in the cells...so hid a bag of cannabis in his underpants before heading off to the police station.

Canterbury Crown Court heard McAvoy admitted the theft and burglary and was remanded in custody ONLY with an extra charge...possessing £60 worth of drugs!

McAvoy - also known as Daniel Murray - of Squirrel Lane was given a 12 month jail sentence suspended for two years.

Prosecutor Denzil Pugh told how in June a householder from Lydd was tricked into answering his front door by a woman talking about " a long-lost" relative.

While he was distracted, McAvoy went in through an open rear door and stole £150 from a wallet and £20 in cash from a birthday card.

Mr Pugh said the man then saw McAvoy climbing into a car "which sped away" - but not before the householder took the registration number.

Two months later he went into a cookery shop in West Malling and raided a till while the assistant was distracted, stealing £100.

Mr Pugh added: "Police who were searching for him came up with the bright idea of giving him a ring as they had his number. McAvoy answered the phone and agreed to come in to the police station at Folkestone.

"When he eventually turned up he was preparing for a night in the cells as he came in with cannabis in his underwear. He was expected to be remanded in custody so had loaded himself up with cannabis so that he could smoke it in prison."

McAvoy, the step-son of an armed robber, also admitted another 14 offences - including using a credit card from a wallet he found on the street buying £2000 worth of items.

He told officers he didn't hand the wallet in "because I am not a good man."

Caroline Hoggett-Jones, defending, said: "He had very little by way of a positive male role model to look up to and to a degree has followed in his step-father's footsteps. He has been in and out of custody for most of his life."

McAvoy was facing a minimum three year jail term as a "three-strikes" burglar.

But Judge Nigel Van der Bijl ruled it would be "unjust" to pass a long sentence because of the way he had been "dragged up in the way that you have by your step-father".

"It might be said that it is not surprising that you have ended up yourself, a petty burglar," he added.

McAvoy was given a three month curfew order, told to undertake a six-month drugs rehabilitation course to tackle his addiction and do 150 hours of unpaid work.