IN a “moment of stupidity” a man stole almost £200 of perfume and aftershave from a town centre shop with the woman he was out shopping with.

David Watkins-Rudman appeared before magistrates today charged with stealing £198.47 from Boots in the Brunel Plaza on January 2, jointly with a woman who was not in court.

Prosecuting, Keith Ballinger told the court they had taken the goods and made off without paying, but the woman was detained a short distance away.

The goods were returned to the shop.

Watkins-Rudman, 29, was later arrested at an address he was staying at.

He gave his current address to magistrates as The Circle, Pinehurst.

Defending him, Mark Glendenning told the court Watkins-Rudman had not planned to go into Boots to shoplift.

He said: "They were just looking but took the opportunity to take mostly tester bottles that weren’t tagged."

Mr Ballinger said Watkins-Rudman is currently not working due to illness and he needs to find accommodation as he is staying with a friend.

"It was a moment of stupidity," he told magistrates.

"He accepts that and he apologises.”

Chairman of the bench Simon Wolfensohn sentenced Watkins-Rudman to a financial penalty for the thefts. He was ordered to pay a fine of £50, a contribution to the prosecution’s costs of £45 and a victim surcharge of £20.