A man has been fined after stealing a charity box from a newsagents in Salisbury.

Antony Prescott, 26, of Swales Grove, pleaded guilty to the offence at Salisbury Magistrates Court on November 26.

Earlier this year, on April 22, Prescott was travelling in a car with two other people when he got out of the front seat to walk into Hale Newsagents in Woodfalls and steal a charity box, prosecutor Rachel Bailey said.

The box contained approximately £30.

Defending, Nick Redhead said Prescott accepted "full responsibility".

"I asked him why he did something like this.

"He explained he was going through a difficult time at that point. 

"He was consuming far more alcohol than he should and using cannabis and by use of that he built up a degree of debt," Mr Redhead said.

After receiving calls in which he was being threatened "his mind went back to the charity box" he had previously noticed while driving past the shop.

After stealing it, he handed it to "the people he owned money to", the court heard.

Prescott was ordered to pay a £80 fine and £30 compensation to Hale Newsagents.