A hapless thief who stole from three shops in one day failed to show up for his first court appearance because he’d gone on holiday.

Phillip Yelding, from Sittingbourne, was due in court last month to face shoplifting charges after targeting supermarkets in his home town.

However, when he got the date of his court appearance – July 26 – he realised he would be on holiday at Allhallows Holiday Park on the Isle of Grain.

The 32-year-old thief contacted Medway magistrates to ask for an adjournment so he could continue his break.

But the request was denied because it was felt he was easily able to travel the 11 miles to the Chatham court.

On the day of the hearing, however, Yelding didn’t appear and a warrant for his arrest was issued – he was picked up a few days later and put before the court on July 31.

Magistrates were told he’d walked into Sainsbury’s, Lidl, and Iceland and took meat items. But on each occasion, staff spotted him and recovered the goods.

The court heard how the Cavell Way resident, who admitted the crimes, was serving a community order for driving offences when he committed the thefts on March 30.

He swiped £45.06 of items from Sainsbury’s, £20.34 from Lidl and £16.40 from Iceland.

James Nichols, prosecuting, said: “Everything was recovered but they were meat items and the shops were not able to resell them, so that adds up to £81.80.

“He was not given the adjournment for the holiday as it was felt he would be able to travel from the holiday park to the court.”

The court also heard Yelding was going through a bad time and wasn’t thinking straight at the time.

He sometimes used cocaine, which was linked to his behaviour, and he as hadn’t heard back from the court about his request, he presumed it had been granted.

Yelding was given a 12-month community order for all the offences which will see him carry out 25 rehabilitation days.

He will complete a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement and pay compensation to each business for the value of the items he took.