A man who stole a beer from a gas station was today warned to stick to the straight and narrow.

David Eatherly, 34, pleaded guilty in Magistrates’ Court to the theft and said he has been in treatment since his arrest.

Eatherly said: “I’m trying to turn my life around.”

Magistrates’ Court heard that at around 12.30pm on April 30 last year, Eatherly went into the Rubis service station on Boaz Island in Sandys and tried to buy a six-pack of Elephant beer.

His card was declined and he took the beer back to the cooler, but staff noticed that he spent much longer than he needed at the fridge.

They then saw him appear to put an item into his pants before he left the store.

Suspicious staff checked and spotted one beer from the pack was missing.

Saul Dismont, the duty defence counsel, asked the court to consider a conditional discharge as Eatherly, from Warwick, had admitted the offence and had already sought treatment for his drinking problem.

Senior magistrate Juan Wolffe gave Eatherly a three-month conditional discharge on condition he continued with treatment and did not commit further offences.

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