A teenager stole cash from his former foster parents, a court has heard.

Grzagorz Walczynski, of Ysgol Street, Port Tennant, Swansea, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates for sentencing on Tuesday, after being found guilty of burglary and theft following a trial held the previous week.

Abul Hussain, prosecuting, told the court that Walczynski had been placed in foster care with Eric and Sue Scourfield in Hundleton for two years, and they had allowed him to remain in the family home after his 18th birthday, as he was studying at the local college.

Walczynski, 19, was not allowed to enter the Scourfields’ bedroom or office, where around £400 cash had been kept in sweet tubes as an ‘emergency fund’.

Mr Hussain said: “On the day in question Mr Scourfield had gone to take money out and realised that two of the sweet tubes were missing and a third was empty.

“He suspected the defendant, entered his bedroom and found one sweet tube with ‘emergency fund’ written on the bottom.”

Walczynski, who was previously of clean character, denied the offence, which took place between October 14, 2016 and January 31, 2017. Mr Hussain told the bench that his actions were a ‘breach of trust’, and no money had been recovered.

The bench heard that Walczynski continued to deny the charge, but there had been no further offending since and he had secured work and accommodation in Swansea.

Magistrates imposed a 12 month community order with 80 hours of unpaid work.

Walczynski was ordered to pay £400 compensation to Mr and Mrs Scourfield, plus £200 towards costs and a £85 surcharge.