A Dover burglar, who did a “dock deal” with a judge to return a stolen child's TV...has broken his word.

And Jay Bates , who had swiped a 32-inch television belonging to a 10-year-old boy, has also failed to show up at court to explain why.

The 20-year-old thief had been told if he returned the TV he would be saved from having to be under partial house arrest for two months.

Now Judge Nigel Van Der Bijl has issued a warrant for Bates to be arrested – although he will then be given police bail to attend another hearing at Canterbury Crown Court.

Bates, of Glenfield Road, Dover stunned the court when he spoke from the dock during his sentencing hearing a month ago, asking:“Can I say one thing? Could I return the telly?”

The judge replied: “Did you say: ‘Could you return the telly?’ Have you got it?”

Bates answered: “I know where it is.”

The judge told him: “I think that would be an excellent idea!”

He then told him he would scrap the home electronically tagged curfew order if the stolen TV was returned to the victim within a month.

The child’s mother had revealed in a Victim Impact Statement how he was now too afraid to sleep in his bedroom after the burglary at their home in Pardoner’s Way, Dover on October 2.

Bates had admitted the daytime break-in at the house while the family were out and was given a 12 month sentence suspended for two years and told do 250 unpaid work for the community.

Stories you might have missed

Desperate death of man trapped in wall cavity inches from help

MP's fight for answers on Sheppey Crossing crash

Family told after man found hanging off bridge

Woman injured in early-morning campus assault