A man was stopped by police with a 'theft toolkit' after trying to pay for a McDonald's meal with a stolen bank card.

Matthew Sunter, 39, of Newport Pagnell, appeared before Aylesbury Crown Court for sentencing on March 22.

He had previously pleaded guilty to charges of theft, going equipped for theft, fraud by false representation, theft from a motor vehicle and possession of a bladed article in a public place.

All charges arose from a crime spree at the end of last year.

In early-October, Sunter broke into a car parked outside a hotel in Milton Keynes. He made off with a bank card contained inside - which he then tried to use to pay for a McDonald's meal.

The card had been reported stolen, and was rejected.

This put Sunter - who already has 54 convictions for over 100 offences to his name - on the police's radar.

On December 8, Sunter was pulled over in Milton Keynes. Officers searched his car, and located a set of bolt cutters, a multitool, and a glass hammer. Alongside this suspected theft toolkit, a blade was also recovered.

Prosecuting barrister Damian Warburton said: "It seemed to be some kind of cutting or craft knife."

The defendant was arrested, and subsequently charged.

Edward Boateng-Addo, defending Sunter, said his client had a long history of drug abuse, which was at the root of his offending. He urged Judge Ranjeet Johal to show clemency in sentencing, highlighting Sunter's recent efforts to address his drug issues.

Mr Boateng-Addo said: "This is a man with substantial previous convictions, and he is very honest about his past when he says his previous offences are all due to him.

"It is the drugs - heroin, cocaine, crack, etc - which have led this man into a spiralling lifestyle, which has led to him sitting in custody once again. And he's tired of it."

But Judge Johal dismissed these appeals, noting that Sunter had not demonstrated "remorse" over his offending - only "annoyance" for getting caught.

At the time of the most recent incidents, the defendant was already serving a suspended prison sentence. Judge Johal chose to activate this, jailing Sunter for a total of 14 months.