AFTER being refused service in Sainsbury's in Chippenham as they were deemed to be too drunk, three men took matters into their own hands and stole lager worth more than £60.

Within the hour a fight broke out at Chippenham railway station and the men crossed the main Bristol to London line as they changed platform.

One of the defendants, Jacob Skidmore appeared in custody before magistrates sitting in Swindon on Monday to answer the charges of theft and trespassing on the railway dating from September 8, 2015.

The court heard that 24-year-old Skidmore's accomplices had previously been sentenced for the offences, each receiving a fine of £200 for trespassing and a bill for £31.25 each in compensation for the theft. Neither were named in court proceedings.

Skidmore, of Fagans Court, Bristol, also pleaded guilty to the two offences on Monday and to a further charge of missing his day in court on November 11, as he had no money to get to Chippenham Magistrates' Court.

He appeared in custody on Monday after his parents called the police on Saturday, fearing for his wellbeing after he suffered a mental breakdown.

The court heard Skidmore had been among a group of three men who had entered the Sainsbiury's store at around 10pm on September 8, 2015, where staff refused to sell them alcohol as they were considered to be too drunk already.

Instead, the three men stole £62.50 of Stella from the alcohol aisles, though did leave an amount of cash behind. Michelle Hewitt prosecuting said that the amount left did not cover the crates stolen.

Half an hour later the three men were at Chippenham railway station when a fight broke out on a disused platform. They jumped off the platform and crossed the tracks back onto the other platform.

Defending Skidmore, Kim Moules told the court her client suffered from severe anxiety, depression, ADHD and ADD and had never received any formal counselling, but matters reached a head over the weekend.

She said: "He felt he was having a mental breakdown and his parents called the police because they were so concerned for his welfare. He has been in custody since Saturday lunchtime.

"At the time of the offence he was under the influence of alcohol and cannot remember very much at all. He has now given up alcohol.

"He went to hospital after the incident because he was set upon by two individuals and had his jaw broken. He wasn't interviewed by police until several weeks later. Even so, he was open and honest with them."

Sentencing him, magistrates fined him £200 for trespassing on the railway, but deemed this to be spent due to his time in custody. No separate penalty was imposed for the shoplifting.

Chairman of the bench Timothy Foster said: "We have taken note that you are going to seek some help and we would encourage you to do that. It sounds like you're beginning to turn a corner."