Staff who pursued a thief as he left a town centre shop found he had more than £82 worth of meat concealed in his pocket.
Michael Allan Dransfield, of Castlemona Avenue in Douglas, admitted stealing the meat from Marks and Spencer on March 11.
The 51-year-old was spotted in the meat aisle on the shop’s CCTV system filling his coat pockets with meat. Staff followed him to the exit and stopped him outside the main post office where he produced six packets of steak.
When police arrived, Dransfield admitted taking the meat and leaving without paying for it.
Prosecutor Michael Jelski said it was unclear if the meat was still fit for sale so he requested £82 compensation for the shop.
Representing Dransfield, David Reynolds said the theft was not sophisticated or preplanned. He said his client had suffered with alcohol problems and had support from a charity for whom he was also a volunteer.
Magistrates’ chairman John Hellowell told him it was a ‘foolish offence’ and fined him £200 with £125 costs and he must also pay £82 compensation.