A THIEF who sneaked into the staff room of a Lake District hotel and stole a chef's wallet has been jailed.

Alan Shabaily, 58, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court having previously admitted a burglary at the Kings Arms Hotel in Hawkshead, near Windermere, during August, 2012. He also pleaded guilty to making off from a guest house in the village without payment the following day, a burglary in Ingleton, and failing to answer to court bail.

The court heard Shabaily, of Sandylands Promenade, Morecambe, fled the Hawkshead guest house after a night's stay having tricked the owner into believing he knew their daughter.

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Brendan Burke, prosecuting, said Shabaily was described as being "very chatty, charming and anxious to please". He also had a child with him.

It emerged he had become aware of the guest house owner's daughter only because he found a letter - written and signed by her - while on the premises. He left owing £75 for his stay.

The previous day he had stolen a wallet from a jacket which was left by a chef in a staff room at the Kings Arms. However, this was later found discarded behind an outside bin at the hotel, apparently because Shabaily did not find any cash inside.

At Ingleton, he entered the home of a 75-year-old man and his wife, completely unannounced. He was seen to have used a tissue over his hand to open the door in a bid, Mr. Burke said, to "avoid a fingerprint trail".

Alison Whalley, defending, said Shabaily had secured accommodation in Morecambe and was concerned he would lose this if he was jailed.

A qualified chef and also a bricklayer, he had already spent time in custody. He had put this to good use, gaining qualifications in English, maths and also health and hygiene.

But Shabaily was sent to prison for 14 months by Judge Barbara Forrester, who was told he had 43 convictions for 154 crimes. "It is clear that you travel around different parts of the country committing different offences of dishonesty," the judge told him.