A man who stole cash from the restaurant where he worked in order to feed his drug habit has been handed a conditional discharge.

Michael Smith, 49, of South Breakers Road, Smith's, took $370 from the food outlet at Western Stars Sports Club, Pembroke on December 6.

He admitted to committing the theft having entered the building as a trespasser.

Crown counsel Larissa Burgess told Magistrates' Court the takings from the restaurant were stored in a freezer there.

Smith did not turn up for his 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. shift on December 6. However, a co-worker noticed the cash was missing from a bag that was meant to contain $492 when she started work.

Surveillance camera footage nailed Smith as the culprit, showing how he visited the freezer at 1.26 a.m., 2.48 a.m. and again at 6.14 a.m. on the morning of the crime.

Ms Burgess told the court Smith has previous convictions for drug crimes and using offensive language.

The defendant told Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo: "I'm terribly sorry. As I stated in my Police interview, I made a bad choice as a result of my drug addiction. I am a recovering addict and I just need to get back on the right track."

Mr. Tokunbo ordered him to pay the stolen cash back by January 31.