An 18-year-old who admitted stealing a Sony PSP from his friend’s house has been told he must pay back the cost of the games console.

Jacob Joseph Flay, of Dixon Way, Calne, appeared before Chippenham magistrates on May 30 after stealing the PSP, worth £35, on March 8 this year.

He was also charged with failing to answer police bail after he missed an appointment at Melksham Police Station on March 28.

The games console belonged to mother-of-three Clair Louise Hazelden, whose older son was friends with Flay at the time.

On the day of the theft Flay knocked at her door and asked to borrow a phone charger, and she directed him upstairs to the charger on the landing.

At the time Flay said he could not find the phone charger. Afterwards it was discovered that the game console was missing.

Philomena Creffield, prosecuting, said the console was bought second-hand as a Christmas present for the youngest child who, until the theft, used to think of Flay as a big brother.

But defence solicitor, Miss Brereton, said at the time of the offence Flay had just one previous offence and was struggling with a cannabis problem.

Magistrates ordered Flay to pay compensation costs of £35 for the console, a victim surcharge of £60 and court costs of £50.

They also gave him a six-month community order, with one requirement to attend ten sessions of an employment training and education programme.