A SHOPLIFTER who stole expensive booze from two Isle of Wight stores to sell to feed his drugs habit, was ordered to repay almost £400 in compensation.

Roland Tomlin, of Terminus Road, Cowes, admitted shoplifting in Cowes on June 15 and 29 when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court.

Regarding the first incident, a member of the public alerted a shopkeeper at the Cowes Town Central Shopping Arcade that Tomlin was stealing items.

Tomlin took six bottles of Mermaid gin, worth £255, hid them under his jacket and made off without any attempt to pay.

On June 29, Tomlin entered Marks and Spencer in Cowes, selected two bottles of Laurent Perrier wine, worth £136, and made off.

Both thefts were caught on CCTV.

When arrested, he said he stole the items to sell on so he could buy drugs.

For Tomlin, Oscar Vincent said his client, at the time of the offences, was in great financial difficulty with benefit problems and accumulated council tax arrears.

"He was essentially stealing just to survive," Mr Vincent said.

But in the past three months, Tomlin has got himself into settled accommodation and receiving mental health and debt management support.

Magistrates imposed a compensation order for Tomlin to repay £391.