A 24-year-old man, who stole a £750 laptop computer from a police car, has been given a community order.

Alan Hemahrahsh committed the offence while waiting to be given a fixed penalty ticket for shoplifting.

Hemahrahsh, of Murdstone Close, West Bowling, Bradford, pleaded guilty to theft from a motor vehicle. He also admitted possessing cannabis, possessing LSD and resisting a police officer. All the offences were committed in January.

Farzana Naheed, of West Yorkshire Probation, told Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court the defendant had family in Sweden but he had been in the UK for five years. He was a very intelligent young man but he had no money and took the opportunity to steal the laptop and sell it.

Miss Naheed said: “He accepts it was wrong, but he did not have any choice.”

District Judge Susan Bouch sentenced Hemahrahsh to a 12-month community order, with a medium-level activity requirement and 100 hours of unpaid work.