WORKING with a female accomplice, an Isle of Wight man filled shopping bags with bottles of brandy in Waitrose and made off, a court was told.

James Smith, 39, of Barton Road, Newport, admitted shoplifting, with an accomplice, 13 bottles of brandy, worth £429.75, from the East Cowes supermarket on November 15.

Smith and his accomplice entered Waitrose and was caught loading brandy into the bags. They were caught on CCTV, said Lauren Stone, prosecuting, at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court last Friday (5).

Smith has a criminal record which comprises six other shoplifting convictions and other kindred offences.

His most recent shoplifting offence was committed on November 7 last year — eight days before his brandy theft.

For Smith, Oscar Vincent said his client was homeless, had no money and his benefits had not been administered at the time of the offence.

Jobless Smith, who has mental health, drugs and alcohol issues, did what he had to do to raise cash to live, Mr Vincent explained, in mitigation.

Presiding magistrate, Keith Jones, told Smith: "This was clearly a planned exercise."

The bench ordered a report on Smith and bailed him to return to the same venue for sentencing on February 16.