A homeless thief stole hundreds of pounds worth of booze from an Asda superstore because he needed to sell it to survive, a court has heard.

Michal Gulas looted the supermarket in Thames Way, Gravesend on two separate occasions, swiping more than £600 worth of beer and spirits from the shelves.

On his first visit to the store at the Imperial Retail Park on January 31 he walked out with crates of alcohol totalling around £250.

Staff had noticed him acting suspiciously and tried to intercept the thief but he managed to leave with the booze in two bags.

The 30-year-old, who is originally from Slovakia, returned to the same store just days later on February 2 and this time stole £359.99 worth of spirits.

However, on this occasion, staff did stop him as he was leaving and managed to recover the loot.

Gulas, of Wallis Park, Northfleet, was arrested and charged with two counts of shoplifting.

He admitted the offences when he appeared at Folkestone Magistrates' Court last week. April 13

The court heard during an interview with police, the father-of-three made no comment.

Neil Sweeney prosecuting said: "On February 1 he returned to the same store and circles the spirits aisle and then goes past the tills area and is stopped.

"He told staff he had brought the alcohol in another store and they tell him to come back with the receipt and was allowed to leave (without the alcohol) but he never returned.

"He was on a community order at the time for like matters."

The court heard he took the alcohol as he was experiencing martial problems and was homeless.

He wanted to sell it to make some cash to find accommodation and food but was now back living with his wife and children.

Judge Barron decided to give him an extra 60 hours of unpaid work on top of the community order he was presently on.

He said: "The offending is made worse because you were on a community order. You need to stop offending."

Gulas was also ordered to pay Asda £250 compensation and a victim surcharge of £114 and £85 costs.