A thief stole from supermarkets in order “to live” after leaving prison with no money or home to go to.

Karl Brazier-Denning’s solicitor told magistrates the defendant was “trapped in a cycle”.

The 30-year-old was caught on CCTV on two occasions stealing food and alcohol from shops in Margate and Ramsgate and was charged with two counts of shoplifting.

Brazier-Denning, of no fixed address, appeared before magistrates in Margate on July 15, where he admitted both offences.

The bench heard he had already been recalled to prison after breaching a suspended sentence he was given for committing other shoplifting offences last year.

Neil Sweeney, prosecuting, told the court the latest thefts happened earlier this month, in Waitrose in Ramsgate and then in Tesco in Margate.

Brazier-Denning took two bottles of wine, two bottles of cider, some baby wipes and a bag of peanuts - costing a total of £33.25 - from the Tesco store. Just over a week later, he swiped three packets of lamb steaks from Waitrose.

Mr Sweeney added: “He was identified by CCTV.

“He was sent to prison quite recently for like matters, but he’s been recalled now.

“He got a suspended sentence in January and it was activated on February 12 and then, on May 15, he got more time in prison.”

Mitigating, Gemma Adams told the bench her client had no address and usually slept at friend’s homes.

She added: “He’s trapped in a cycle. He comes out of prison and has no money and no address to go to.”

However, she said the former addict is no longer dependent on drugs.

Magistrates were also told Brazier-Denning was due to be released from the sentence he is currently serving on July 25.

Ms Adams added: “He has some mental health issues, but he’s not doing it to feed his drug habit - he’s doing it to live.”

Magistrates told Brazier-Denning they would give him credit for his early guilty plea and, noting now that he was drug-free, they were willing to give him a chance to get out of the cycle of stealing he was in.

As a result, they jailed him for 12 weeks but suspended the term for six months.

They ordered him to pay £33.25 compensation to Tesco and £30 to Waitrose for the loss of the lamb chops.