Deaf Duncan Goodman was caught in a police car's headlights fishing women's swimming costumes out through the letterbox of a charity shop.

A jury heard that Goodman, 26, of London Road, Bicester, was using a straightened metal coat hanger to pull the clothes out of the Help the Aged shop in Deans Court, Bicester, at 1.30am on June 23.

Paul Mitchell, prosecuting, told Oxford Crown Court that the officers had come across him earlier in the night, running up and down the railway line in the town, and recognised him in the shop doorway.

Goodman, who has to lip-read and uses a hearing-aid, stood close to the judge so that he could hear what was being said in court.

He pleaded guilty to burglary at Bicester magistrates' court in August and was put on probation for 12 months yesterday. Paul Reid, defending Goodman who has previous convictions for assault, criminal damage, shoplifting and handling stolen goods, told the court his client had been drinking strong lager.

He said: "This offence is completely out of character for this young man. He was under the influence of strong drink and, despite the fact that he was lit up like a Christmas tree, he continued with what he was doing. He was behaving in a very odd fashion.

"Fishing at a doorway like this is very bizarre behaviour and he recognises this."

Recorder Geoffrey Tattersall, also ordered Goodman to pay £76 towards prosecution costs and fined him £100 for breaching a conditional discharge imposed at Oxford Crown Court in April for criminal damage. He told him: "You were found burgling a charity shop which is a pretty mean offence. This is really your last chance to behave. If you don't behave, you will end up going to prison."

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