A man and a woman stole more than £750 worth of alcohol from a Weymouth hotel in a daytime burglary – taking the bottles away in a wheelie bin, a court heard.

Geoffrey Conquer, aged 46, of no fixed abode, and Susan Clennell, aged 37, of Fortuneswell, Portland, both admitted burglary, stealing 39 bottles of alcohol from the Hotel Rembrandt on Dorchester Road.

Elizabeth Valera prosecuting at Weymouth Magistrates Court, said the burglary took place on the morning of Saturday, March 3.

She told the court how Conquer and Clennell entered the hotel through the laundry door and made their way to the function room and bar.

She said the pair had a wheelie bin with them, which they used to store stolen bottles, and they left via the fire exit just after 10am.

Miss Valera explained that staff realised bottles of beer, spirits and champagne had been stolen on Monday, March 5.

The hotel, which has CCTV in its rooms, recorded the pair stealing the alcohol and passed the footage onto police.

One of the hotel’s bartenders said he recognised Conquer and Clennell, who he had seen ‘loitering’ around outside the hotel prior to the burglary.

Police arrested Conquer and Clennell on Tuesday, March 6.

In mitigation, Des Reynolds for Conquer said his client was a victim of the ‘revolving door problem’ and that he had been in and out of prison for burglary offences in the past, and that he now lives on the streets.

He asked the magistrates to give credit to his client’s guilty plea and that no violence was used in the offence.

Simon Lacey, for Clennell, said she has mental health issues and had suffered family problems. He added that she had gradually ‘gone out of control’.

Conquer was sent to prison for 18 weeks and has been ordered to pay £381.59 in compensation, which is equivalent to half the price of the stolen alcohol.

Chairman of the bench, Debbie Boitoult said: “We have looked at the offences and heard what has been said. We have taken into account your guilty plea but have balanced it with your previous convictions, so you will be imprisoned for 18 weeks. We make no award of costs for bringing this to court.

“There will be a payment of compensation to Hotel Rembrandt. It will be £381.59, which is 50 per cent of the stolen items, and will be payable on your release.”

Magistrates called for a pre-sentence report in respect of Clennell and she will be sentenced on March 28.