Bristol shoplifter: I wanted to smell nice for my girlfriend

A Bristol shoplifter stole designer aftershave so he could smell nice for his girlfriend, a court heard.

Laszlo Konya took the £55 bottle of Dior Homme from Boots because he could not afford to buy it.

Speaking through an interpreter in Hungarian, the 23-year-old admitted theft at Bristol Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Konya, of Station Road, Kingswood, also admitted failing to surrender to bail.

Magistrates ordered he pay a £165 fine, £85 court costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Andrea Edwards, prosecuting, said: "In the afternoon on Sunday, January 17, security officers at Boots in Broadmead were watching the CCTV.

"They saw Mr Konya with a bottle of Dior Homme fragrance.

"He removed the security tag, placed it on the shelf and left the store without paying.

"At interview he admitted taking the fragrance.

"He said he didn't have any money and didn't want to appear in front of his girlfriend thinking he lacked standards."

Konya had no previous convictions but one caution for shoplifting last December.

John Stokes, defending, said: "He came to this country four months ago from Hungary.

"He says he hasn't arrived in this country and adopted an attitude of reckless disregard for the law, but the thefts have been dictated by lack of financial resources.

"It's fair to say he made a rather strange comment in interview as to why he stole it.

"It would appear to be a desire to impress his girlfriend that made him take it."