A ‘FOOLISH’ drunken man who rolled a trolley full of alcohol out of Waitrose without paying was soon caught by police after they spotted him hiding in a bush.

Benji Jefferies, and an accomplice named only as Vicky, entered the Weston supermarket in Warne Road last week, stocked a trolley with alcohol and had no intention of paying, a court heard.

The 31-year-old appeared at North Somerset Courthouse on May 19 charged with theft and pleaded guilty.

Prosecuting, Alison Longhorn said: “A member of staff became suspicious as they were filling the trolley with alcohol.

“They then attempted to push the trolley through the door without paying.

“When approached by the security guard he ran off but police found him hiding in the bushes in Warne Road.”

Jefferies, of Clevedon, who had been released from prison and was on licence, said he had bumped into Vicky, an old acquaintance, and she asked him to help her commit the offence as she had to pay back drug debts.

The Herbert Road resident admitted he knew what he was doing.

Mitigating, Judith Mills said: “He deeply regrets what has happened and recognises he was foolish. He says he went along with it as he felt sympathy for an acquaintance.

“He describes himself as drunk and had he not have been he would have been more robust and would have refused to go along with it

“Since leaving prison he has made great progress and drugs were an issue but he has got himself clean and has been doing relatively well.”

Magistrate, Mike Evans, fined Jefferies �100 and ordered him to pay �85 court costs and a �15 victim surcharge.

As he could not pay the fine, he was jailed for one day.