A teenager stole DVDs from a shop because he was "homeless and needed money to eat", a court has heard.

Liam Chuter, 18, from Woking, took part in the theft at HMV in the Heart shopping centre in Walton, with Charles Radford, 19, from West Byfleet, on Wednesday, October 6.

Both pleaded guilty at Staines Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, November 18, to theft and were fined £65 and told to pay £94.85 in compensation and £87 in costs.

The teenagers entered the shop just before 3pm and were seen by a member of staff at the DVD box set section, the court heard.

An alarm in the shop then went off and the defendants were seen running from the premises with DVDs in their hands.

The member of staff and a security guard from the shopping centre gave chase, but were unable to catch up with the teenagers. Another defendant has been charged with also taking part, but has yet to plea.

Prosecutor Donna Webster told the court £449.53 worth of DVDs were stolen.

She said £169 worth of the DVDs were recovered by police shortly after the theft took place.

Magistrates were also told Chuter had commited the offence while on a tag and curfew for a burglary and two other attempted burglaries.

His lawyer told the court: "He was homeless at the time of the offence after an argument with his mother and carried it out to get money to eat."

Both teenagers were arrested in Walton by police that day, Chuter in Stompond Lane and Radford in Ashley Park. They were taken to Staines police station, where Radford admitted to entering HMV with the intent to steal, Mrs Webster told the court.

The court heard Chuter had made up with his mother and found emergency accomodation in Woking since the theft.