A man who stole power tools and a doctor's handbag – and subsequently used a bank card from inside it to buy goods – has appeared in court.

James Hoare, aged 47, of High Street, Fordington, Dorchester, admitted the theft of power tools from a Weymouth restaurant, the theft of a bag and phone from a doctor's surgery, failure to surrender to bail and five fraud offences.

Elizabeth Valera, prosecuting at Weymouth Magistrates Court, said that around 1.30pm on July 14, Hoare got off the train at Weymouth station and entered the Dorset Burger Company on King Street.

He walked to the top of the stairs, placed three power tools in a black bin liner and left. He was seen by staff who called police.

Hoare dumped the bin liner when he saw police and told officers: "I haven't done a burglary. I found it round the corner."

The court also heard that on April 25, Hoare stole a bag from a consultation room at a doctor's surgery in Dorchester.

In a statement read in court, the GP said almost immediately after her bag was taken, her debit card started to be used in several shops including Waitrose, Costa and Waterstones.

She said she did not feel fit enough to see patients and had been suffering from panic attacks as she was concerned the perpetrator would know where she lived.

Ian Brazier, mitigating, said Hoare had been prescribed anti-psychotic medication and on both occasions he had stopped taking his medication.

Mr Brazier said the crimes were opportunistic.

"He has made the decision to stop his medication," Mr Brazier said. "It is his responsibility to take it even though it's something that does not entirely agree with him."

Hoare was told by magistrates to engage with probation services.

He was handed a four month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered to pay £500 in compensation.