A reveller's drunken theft of a five pound note from a car has ended up costing him £185 in court.

Justin Wynes was caught on CCTV in Maidstone at 2.30am on May 27 smashing the driver's window of the vehicle before pinching the cash from the centre console.

Maidstone Magistrates' Court heard how the 43-year-old, of Grove Road, had a number of previous convictions but this was his first since being released from prison 18 months ago and came shortly after a close friend had died, just as he was getting his life back on track.

Jeremy Betts, defending, told the court that Wynes, in his drunken state, stopped in his tracks when he spotted the money, and his first thought was just to break the window and get it.

"It was completely stupid and he accepts that," Mr Betts said.

"There is no underlying reason why he committed the offence.

"Usually in these instances there's some kind of background to do with drugs but that doesn't seem to be the case here, it was just a complete one-off."

The defendant pleaded guilty to a charge of theft from a motor vehicle and was given a conditional discharge for 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay £80 in compensation - made up of £75 for the window and £5 for the stolen note - as well as another £105 in various court costs.

Chairman of the bench, Phil Golding, told Wynes: "You have been out of trouble for a while and then you go and do something like this. It's not great.

"But we are going to take this as a blip on your way to recovery."

KentOnline asked Kent Police and the CPS how much such a case would have cost them, but was told such a figure was "impossible" to calculate.

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone