A MAN stole a policeman’s coat from his locker in a Worcestershire police station after officers stopped him driving home.

On a separate occasion, the man also stole his ex-partner’s mobile phone and forwarded personal text messages to her family after seeing messages on it from another man, which upset him.

Philip Bennett, aged 59, pleaded guilty to one charge of burglary and another of theft.

Matt Dodson, prosecuting at Worcester Magistrates Court, said Bennett – previously of the YMCA in Henwick Road, St John’s, Worcester – was not identified as the defendant in burglary case until he was arrested for the theft of the phone because his DNA was not on the police database.

He said that on September officers on duty in Droitwich had cause to speak to Bennett, who was drunk and in possession of vehicle keys.

Mr Dodson said: “Officers seized the keys from him and put them in the property store in Droitwich police station.

“Later that day, a police officer went to collect his personal belongings from the locker room and could not find his jacket or keys.

“They were not found during a search of the locker room, but the inside of the reception area was in disarray.

“As a result, he contacted a forensic officer who examined the scene, but only later when Mr Bennett was arrested for separate matters was the match made.”

On Monday, April 25, Bennett arrived at Lorraine Dimmock’s home. He was drunk and she made him a coffee to try to sober him up.

“She then asked him to leave, which he did five minutes later and she realised her phone was missing,” said Mr Dodson.

“A phone call was received to her uncle’s phone and the defendant started shouting abuse to her down the phone.

"He had access to her personal text messages and forwarded them to her and family members causing distress and upset.”

Sentencing was adjourned until Wednesday, June 1, for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Bennett, of Staple Flat, Lickey End, Bromsgrove, was also committed to appear at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday, May 31, in relation to a charge of assault by beating and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.