A MAN has pleaded guilty to two thefts which happened in Ellesmere Port.

Andrew Hewitt, 48, appeared at Chester Magistrates Court on Tuesday, April 2 via videolink from HM Prison Altcourse, where he is already serving a sentence for a separate offence.

Hewitt, normally of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to stealing a £700 iPhone 7 Plus from a car parked at the Telford Industrial Estate on July 28, 2018.

He also admitted stealing a pub entertainer's jacket which contained bank cards and car keys on September 22, 2018.

Magistrates imposed a six-week concurrent custodial sentence on Hewitt, meaning in reality he will not have to serve any more jail time.

But magistrates also ordered Hewitt to pay compensation to the victims.

Prosecuting, Daryl Pollard said it was a hot day on July 28, 2018 and the victim had left their car window partially open when a witness spotted Hewitt reaching in to take the iPhone 7 Plus. The phone was not recovered.

On September 22, Hewitt had attended the Horse and Jockey pub in Dock Street, where an entertainer had put his jacket on a chair.

Hewitt was later seen with his jacket and that of the victim's, which contained bank cards and car keys. He later spent £38.35 using a bank card.

The victim had to spend £200 changing their locks.

Defending, Adrian Evans said Hewitt was already serving a lengthy custodial sentence and his release date was in June 2020.

At the time, Hewitt had been committing the offences to "fund his out-of-control drugs habit", and he wished to apologise to his victims for their inconveniences, and the stress and anxiety it had caused them.

Since being in custody, he had become a trustee in prison and was helping other prisoners with their drug addictions.

He was now completely drug free and had pleaded guilty to the charges.

Hewitt must pay £938.35 compensation – £700 to the phone theft victim and £238.35 to the jacket theft victim – by the end of 2020.