A 30-year-old charity store thief has been revealed in court as a murderer.

Sebastian Gorlic appeared before Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with theft and burglary.

He admitted both offences but shortly after, prosecutor Andrew Jones revealed he was previously jailed for murder in Poland.

Gorlic was convicted in 2002 and spent 13 years in prison.

The court heard while serving his murder sentence he was found with drugs in prison in January 2014.

He was handed a three-month jail term suspended for two years.

Mr Jones said Gorlic, who spoke through a Polish interpreter, was caught on CCTV taking a plastic bag from the front of the Cancer Research UK shop in Sevenoaks High Street on January 11.

Police traced him to Brewery Lane where he was found with the bag - containing scarves, gloves, two umbrellas, a pillow case and duvet cover- and a separate rucksack.

When Gorlic's fingerprints were taken they matched prints found at the scene of a burglary - a flat in St James's Road in August.

Two laptops three watches, a lighter, driving licence, bank card, £200 cash and a small safe were stolen.

Gorlic told police he lived in the flat until about a year ago.

He still held a key to the ground floor entrance and was curious to see if it still worked. He gained access and said the door was wide open.

"I can't place him in unpaid work with a charity shop knowing he has the murder conviction" - Andrew Woods

Brian Ferris, defending, said Gorlic, who had no previous convictions in the UK, expressed remorse for his actions and threw away the key.

He added: "He had a lot of financial problems and was short of money that is what prompted him to take the items."

The bench were about to impose a sentence but Andrew Woods, from the National Probation Service, said he would not feel safe recommending any community-based punishments.

He added: "We do not know the circumstances of the murder, we know he is technically on a suspended sentence for the drug offence. I am here to make a risk assessment but I can't make that without knowing full details of this man's background.

"I can't place him in unpaid work with a charity shop knowing he has the murder conviction.

"He would have only been out of prison for a matter of months before he committed the burglary offence. His history suggests he will re-offend."

The case was adjourned until Monday, April 11 to allow the court to make contact with the Polish authorities.