A Pembroke man admitted this morning to stealing meat from the Hamilton MarketPlace out of hunger.

Clyde Simons, 50, pleaded guilty to taking two steak tenderloins, worth $28.88, from the Church Street grocer yesterday.

Magistrates’ Court heard that at about 11.50am, staff at the store saw Simons approach the meat counter, place two packages of steak in a waist bag and then attempt to walk out without paying. He was stopped by staff, who recovered the items, but Simons continued out of the store and began to walk down Church Street.

He was subsequently arrested by a police officer, who happened to be walking into the store at the time.

Simons told officers that he stole the meat because he was hungry and had no money, and admitted that he had issues with alcohol.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo ordered that a social inquiry report and a drug assessment be carried out on Simons, who has previous convictions for similar offences.

He further ordered that Simons sit in on a session of Drug Treatment Court before releasing him on $1,000 bail until he can be sentenced on June 11.

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