Drunk thief found in van told police he was looking for hat

Phillip Dean Coleman, 23, of Drummond Road, admitted theft of tobacco and keys from the van when he appeared at Boston Magistrates Court.

Paul Wood, prosecuting, said police saw Coleman in the van in High Street on October 28 apparently looking for something and, when they searched him, found tobacco and a set of keys on him.

After telling them the van belonged to a friend and that he was looking for his hat, the officers took him home to Skegness.

However, said Mr Wood, after checking with the registered owner of the van, they discovered Coleman was not known to him, should not have had any keys to the van and that the keys and some tobacco had been stolen.

He said the officers then went back to Coleman's address and arrested him.

Mitigating, Philippa Chatterton said Coleman 'fully accepted what happened' but he was heavily intoxicated and remembered very little.

She said he came across the van 'in his drunken state' and believed it was his friend's van, which was unlocked and he got in.

She said he had no idea why he took the keys he found in the van.

Coleman was given a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £20 compensation and £20 towards court costs.