Christopher Asquith made clear to police and to Albury Local Court his embarrassment about his crimes, which left magistrate Rodney Brender with a difficult sentencing exercise.

“I’ve just been running out of money, usually,” Asquith told Mr Brender, explaining he was getting no financial support from his ex-wife who was now living in Melbourne.

But it is by no means the first time Asquith has been dealt with by the courts, which was the source of Mr Brender’s issue with the sentence he could hand down.

“He’s on five supervised bonds already,” he said.

“There’s no point in giving him another one.”

With that he instead adjourned Asquith’s case to September 25, ordering the preparation of a report outlining how well Asquith was faring under supervision.

Asquith told Mr Brender he had just started a new round of supervision this year.

The 49-year-old Lavington man pleaded guilty to a single charge of larceny, which in turn breached the bonds.

Police told the court that Asquith was unemployed and received government benefits as he had full custody of his son.

“The accused was remorseful and appeared upset about the incident.”

Asquith went to the Woolworths supermarket at Lavington Square on May 27. He grabbed six trays of meat, including three beef roasts, one pork roast, a lamb roast and some lamb cutlets, and put these in his shopping basket.

Asquith also grabbed two cartons of iced coffee and a frozen pizza before walking out of the supermarket without paying. Police confronted him about the thefts just a few minutes later.