A shoplifter is paying a heavy price today after being ordered to pay £630 in fines and costs for stealing beer worth £25.

Mantas Gedminas, of Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, pleaded guilty to pilfering 12 bottles of beer when he appeared before the town’s magistrates.

The 25-year-old took the alcohol from Sainsbury’s in Upper Brook Street, Ipswich.

Gedminas also admitted being in breach of a two-year conditional discharge he was given for stealing half a bottle of brandy in May 2012.

Prosecutor Lucy Miller told the court the married father-of-one had gone in to Sainsbury’s at around 11am on October 16.

He selected a basket and put the pack of 12 beers in it.

Gedminas then by-passed the checkouts and walked out of the store without paying.

However he was detained outside the shop.

Magistrates were told Gedminas had gone into the store with £10 and took the beer in the knowledge that he did not have enough money to pay for it.

Mrs Miller said it was the second time Gedminas had breached his conditional discharge. He also committed another offence in February this year.

The court heard that most of the Lithuanian national’s previous convictions had taken place in rural Norfolk.

Gedminas has lived in England for around five years on and off.

Magistrates were told he was an agricultural worker who is employed on a casual basis through an agency.

When asked if he had anything to say about the offence, Gedminas told the court through a Lithuanian interpreter: “I will not behave like this again.”

Gedminas was fined £500 for the theft and breaching his conditional discharge.

He was also ordered to pay £50 to the victims’ fund and £80 towards prosecution costs.

Before he left he court Gedminas was reminded his conditional discharge remains in place.