A Pembroke Dock man has been told he is in the 'last chance saloon' after narrowly avoiding a spell behind bars due to breaking two court conditional discharges.

Thirty-three-year-old Stuart McKinlay, of Hawkstone Road, admitted two counts of theft when he appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday.

He also pleaded guilty to going into a store equipped for theft, by being in possession of a pair of magnets.

Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that the first incident occurred on May 1 at the Tesco store in Haverfordwest, when Mr. McKinlay, assisted by a friend, stole two hard drives to the value of £160.

"On May 14, he was seen again in the same Tesco store using magnets to take security tags off perfume and alcohol, worth £285," he explained.

His solicitor, Mr. Jonathan Webb, told the court that his client was subject to a 24-month conditional discharge, and had now breached the orders.

He explained that the defendant suffered with mental health issues, and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and anxiety matters, which had led him to having issues in dealing with the probation service.

Magistrates requested that the probation service compile a pre-setence report to bring back to court after interviewing the defendant.

The probation officer who returned the report told magistrates that Mr. McKinlay had stated that he was due to link up with Haven Way Day Hospital in Pembroke Dock, where he had been treated previously, but because he found it hard to work with the probation service, it would be difficult to give him a probation order with mental health treatment requirements, and the only alternative would be to fine him, or pass a curfew on him or a suspended prison sentence.

Magistrates told Mr. McKinlay that his latest acts of theft had almost pushed him over the custody threshold and that this pattern of offending had to stop or the next time he came before the court, his record would probably see him sent to jail.

He was fined £400 for the offences, and ordered to pay compensation of £160 to the Tesco store.

Mr. McKinlay was also told he would have to pay a criminal court charge of £180, costs of £85 and a £20 victim surcharge.