A man with 115 previous convictions for theft has been given a chance after he stole from a shop again.

Carl Neville Williams, 45, was arrested after he was seen in Wrexham town centre carrying a DVD box under his arm.

CCTV operators alerted the police and officers approached him.

Asked where he had got it from, he said he had been given it by a friend.

When it was pointed out that it had come from Tesco, he said he had paid for it.

Checks were made with Tesco and on CCTV he could be seen stealing the item.

Williams, of Penywern Road, Rhos, admitted carrying out the theft on Monday which put him in breach of a conditional discharge.

Solicitor Justine McVitie, defending in court in Mold, said her client had been in custody since 8am on Monday. He made full admissions in interview.

It was not a sophisticated offence but it was accepted that it was aggravated by his criminal record.

He had been before the court earlier in the month and placed on a conditional discharge.

Williams was struggling financially and with accommodation and the offence occurred when he had problems with his benefits.

He needed to make a fresh claim.

In view of his lifestyle he found it difficult to comply with court orders, she said.

Miss McVitie suggested a suspended sentence.

Flintshire magistrates agreed and said while he had previous convictions for 115 offences, he would receive a 16 day prison sentence which would be suspended for a year.