A HOMELESS man who told police he had been looking for a goldfish after trying to get into a pet shop till has been jailed for three weeks.

Carl Neville Williams, 46, appeared in custody before magistrates at Mold yesterday.

He had failed to attend the previous day in relation to an allegation he had already admitted - that he had attempted to steal from Petsave in the Butcher’s Market in Wrexham on June 6.

But Williams, of no fixed abode, also admitted failing to surrender to court bail and breaching the conditions of a post sentence supervision order.

Prosecutor Rhian Jackson told the court that on the day of the attempted theft, a worker at Petsave had left the stall momentarily to buy a bottle of water.

She returned to find a man in an area where customers are not allowed and he appeared to be “desperately pressing buttons” and turning the till key.

When confronted about it, Williams apologised and left - but he was later identified via CCTV footage.

Asked by the police about the incident, he told officers he had been “wrecked on mamba” and had no recollection of it.

When he was asked what he was trying to do, he told North Wales Police he had been “looking for a goldfish”.

Stephen Edwards, defending, told the court: “He is not a violent person. He is a habitual thief, there’s no doubt about that.

“In recent years he has been in the habit of going to areas of the town under the influence of mamba and spice.

“He had been doing reasonably well until recently - he was in supported accommodation but following his arrest and the recent charge, he was told he’d lost his placement there.

“So since June 9 he has been been back on the streets.

“His recollection is very hazy, but he has had the good sense to accept the charges.”

Pamela Roberts, of the probation service, said since his most recent release from custody in April, Williams had been offered five appointments for his license and post sentence supervision order and that he had failed to attend all of them.

She said: “Due to his non-engagement we don’t feel we can manage him in the community. We ask the court to consider a period in custody.”

For the three offences, magistrates jailed Williams for a total of 21 days.

Lady Sally Kenyon, chair of the magistrates, also ordered Williams to pay £115 in costs.