A Polish charity shop thief revealed in court as a convicted murderer has been jailed.

Sebastian Gorlic of St John's Hill, Sevenoaks was arrested after stealing a bag of clothes from the front of a Cancer Research shop and burgling his old flat in St James's Road.

The 30-year-old apologised to officials at Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court today and stated his desire to be allowed to continue to live and work in the UK to provide for his unborn child.

Gorlic was caught on CCTV in January taking scarves, gloves, two umbrellas, a pillow case and duvet cover from outside the charity shop in Sevenoaks High Street.

Officers matched his fingerprints to those found at his former flat where two laptops, three watches, a lighter, driving licence, bank card, £200 cash and a small safe were taken in August.

Gorlic, who previously worked as a chef in Sevenoaks, still held a key to the flat in St James Road and was curious to see if it still worked.

Gorlic was just 15 when he was convicted for murder in 2002. He served 13 years in a Polish prison and was released five years ago. He moved to England two years ago.

The court heard he claims his recollection of the murder is vague. He told authorities he consumed a large amount of alcohol and woke up in someone else's home the next day.

The court was told the murder involved a knife, but attempts to gain more information from police had been unsuccessful.

Gorlic is currently on a suspended sentence for a drug related offence, involving amphetamines, in Poland. This cannot be activated by magistrates in the UK.

He previously pleaded guilty to the theft and burglary.

Sentencing was adjourned as probation officer Andrew Woods raised concerns about the lack of information surrounding the murder conviction.

He said he would not feel comfortable recommending community service without a better understanding of the circumstances.

Gorlic's partner lives in Poland with her eight-year-old child. She is due to give birth to their unborn baby in July.

He told the bench at Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court today he hopes to bring his family to England and said prison would be damaging to his relationship.

But chair of the bench Nicholas Woolger handed Gorlic 150 days custody. He is likely to serve half of this, but must take part in a post sentence supervision scheme.

He was ordered to pay £600 compensation.