A BURGLAR who broke into two businesses and stole hundreds of pounds must pay £600 in compensation.

Kane Townsend, 20, of Burbage Road, Penhill, pleaded guilty to two charges of burglary at Swindon Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Townsend stole £150 in cash from Wessex Squash Club on September 21 and stole £250 from Angling Direct on September 30 with an accomplice.

He was also given a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and 15 Rehab Activity days.

In addition, he must take part in a Thinking Skills programme.

Pauline Lambert, prosecuting, said: “The club is member’s only with a code and key required to get in.

“Someone who works at the club goes inside and sees a bin has been knocked over and a fire door at the end of the changing rooms has been forced open using tools to break the mechanism.

“CCTV shows two young men, one of whom is Mr Townsend, breaking in and stealing £150.

“He denied committing the offence in interview but has now pleaded guilty.

“Angling Direct staff are alerted by an alarm at 1.53am.

“When they arrive at the property 10 minutes later, they see that a lower glass panel on a UPVC double glazed door has been smashed.

“Police attend and find that £250 in change has been stolen.

“Again, CCTV shows the two men at the scene and, again, Mr Townsend originally denied committing the offence.”

Townsend will have to pay all the money back plus £100 for the fire door and £100 for the glass door panel.

A representative for the probation service said: “He said the burglaries were carried out only for financial reasons.

“His family are going through a rough patch and they needed food.

“He’s been sanctioned on his benefits for missing an appointment and they needed food.

“He has a baby on the way, he needs to start taking responsibility and start learning from his mistakes.”