A homeless man who admitted stealing food because he was hungry was fined for the offence this morning.

Levi Pemberton, 54, pleaded guilty to stealing a $9.49 carton of cooked from a Pembroke grocery store.

The court heard that at around 8pm on January 15, the store manager and book keeper noticed Pemberton enter the store, go to the heated section of the store’s salad bar and fill a carton with food before going to another section of the store.

A short while later Pemberton went to the cash register and purchased a tin of Vienna sausages.

The manager approached the defendant and asked him about the carton of food. Pemberton then reached into the waistband of his pants and produced the carton, saying: “I took it because I was hungry.”

After pleading guilty in court, Pemberton noted that he had been fully compliant with the manager and did not attempt to flee after being approached.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo however said that the defendant had intended to leave the store without paying for the food, fining him $100.

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