A HOMELESS man stole a bike and wine from a Hereford shop and opened patient curtains in A&E.
Andrew Mills admitted two counts of being drunk and disorderly, and three counts of theft when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford.
Staff called police to Hereford County Hospital's A&E department on February 9, where a drunken Mills was opening curtains on bays occupied by other patients, prosecutor Elizabeth Blacklock said.
They were again called after he was seen on CCTV walking in to Hereford's Whitecross Road Tesco Express on February 13, paying for one bottle of wine but walking out with another £8.50 bottle concealed in his backpack, and taking a red and black BMW bike that had been left outside the shop by its owner as he left.
Mills was arrested for being drunk and disorderly again on February 16, after going to Hereford's night shelter, which he is banned from, and kicking the door.
Police were further called on February 20, after Mills stole another bottle of wine, this time worth £3.30, from the Whitecross Road Tesco Express.
The bottle was found in his backpack and recovered by officers.
The court heard Mills has previous convictions for drunk and disorderly behaviour but none for theft.
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Chris Read, for Mills, said the 38-year-old is heavily alcohol dependent.
"He simply has to drink," Mr Read said.
"He is at the stage where not drinking causes serious problems."
Mr Read said Mills is subject to a community order imposed by magistrates in August and that he now has accommodation in Shropshire after a recent discharge from hospital in Shrewsbury after a period of homelessness.
The court heard from a probation report that Mills had reached a very low ebb in his life and has been engaging with his probation officer, but that he has been unable to attend an inpatient alcohol detox as he did not have an address to return to.
Mills, who is currently of Pave Lane in Newport, Shropshire, received a nine-month conditional discharge for the two drunk and disorderly charges and was fined £40 for theft.
He must also pay compensation of £100 to the bike's owner, £8.50 to Tesco, and a £34 victim surcharge. No costs order was made due to his means.
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