A 'TEA leaf' who stole a people carrier after pinching the keys from a coat hanging up in a tea room has been spared jail.

Steven O'Brien went through the pockets of the jacket when he pretended to go to the toilet and not only took the motor but also failed to pay for his cuppa.

Now the 50-year-old, who has 184 previous convictions and was on a community order at the time, has been put on a suspended sentence with alcohol treatment.

Robert Bryan, prosecuting, told how the defendant had been seen at the Town Hall Tea Rooms in Royal Wootton Bassett the day before the offence.

On February 28 last year he was back having a £1.50 cup of tea when he went to use the toilet, pinched the keys and went off.

"When he left with the keys to the vehicle her left without having paid the £1.50," Mr Bryan said.

The Volkswagen Touran was found about 10 days later in The Holbeins area of West Swindon and when his house was searched, officers found the keys to the car.

O'Brien, of Holinshed Place, Grange Park, initially denied the charges but before a jury could be sworn in on the first day of a trial he admitted theft of the car, theft of the keys and making off without paying for the tea.

Mr Bryan said of the defendant's 184 previous convictions, going back to 1978, 112 were for theft or fraud offences with many of them distraction thefts.

Richard Williams, defending, told the court that his client had been drinking on the day of the offence and took the car to get home.

"He would say that the offence itself was committed, not for huge financial benefit, but for the sake of convenience," he said.

"He found himself in Wootton Bassett unable to think of how to get back to Swindon. He took the rather selfish decision to take the keys and drive back to Swindon."

He said the probation officer who compiled the report had identified his 'entrenched alcohol dependency' as an issue.

Mr Williams said "He has indicated to me today his alcohol dependency is something he would seek to address.

"He tells me when he starts drinking, usually beer, he finds it hard to moderate and difficult to stop. He tells me in the last week or so he has abstained from alcohol."

Judge Tim Mousley QC imposed a 14-month jail term suspended for 18 months, put him on an alcohol treatment requirement for up to 12 sessions, do 250 hours of unpaid work and be under supervision for a year.