Court Report: Man admits stealing bag intended for hospital patient in Boston

However, it was said that Jakub Drozdal, 21, of Orchard Street, who admitted all the offences against him at Boston Magistrates Court, had mental health issues and had been diagnosed as schizophrenic following a serious road accident in Poland four years ago.

Prosecuting, Fiona McLellan said that between 3-5pm on April 22, Drozdal stole a Barbour holdall containing clothes and chocolate intended for the partner of the car, which had been parked in Puritans Way.

She said he was identified from CCTV carrying the holdall away from the scene.

Ms McLellan said on June 1, at 10.30pm, he was seen by a member of the public trying car doors and entering a parked Vauxhall Corsa, and he was found by police in Robin Hoods Walk where he was in possession of two Sat Nav systems, which he admitted he had stolen, and a red handled folding knife which was operated by a button, which he claimed he had found.

She said Drozdal had three previous convictions - and in May, just six days before the June offences, had been given a community order. Ms McLellan said that on July 1 at 9.30pm, Drozdal was found in possession of a plastic wrap containing amphetamines in an alleyway in Boston town centre.

Mitigating, Lisa Elkington said Drozdal had had no problems before having suffered head trauma in a road accident in Poland when he was 18. She said he had subsequently been identified as having schizophrenia and had been referred for mental health treatment. She said he struggled to explain why he had committed these offences and could not remember the ones involving the motor vehicles, and also claimed he had found the knife and kept it in his pocket, not realising it was an offence.

Ms Elkington asked the magistrates to consider suspending any prison sentence for possession of the knife. After hearing that his mental health issues made unpaid work or a curfew unworkable, the magistrates imposed a four month prison sentence suspended for a year. He was ordered to pay £100 compensation, fined £230 for possession of the drugs and ordered to pay £123 in court costs.