A man has been jailed after breaking into a church and stealing a charity tin from a hospital.

Andrew Viveash, of Clarence Place, Newport, admitted a charge of burglary and one of theft when he appeared at Cwmbran Magistrates court last Thursday (6th June).

Overnight on 23rd April this year, Viveash broke into Bridge Church in Chepstow with the intention of stealing food from the Food Bank charity based there.

The next morning, it was discovered that a panel of glass had been removed and three padlocks had been damaged, but nothing was taken.

Viveash's fingerprints were found on the glass pane by scene of crime officers and he admitted breaking in after being arrested by police.

On 16th May, Viveash (pictured, right) was seen lingering in the reception area of Chepstow Community Hopsital at about 10pm.

The hospital was open to the public but it was after visiting hours.

The 29-year-old was spotted on CCTV footage reaching over the reception counter and taking a charity collection tin belonging to Guide Dogs for the Blind.

After being arrested, Viveash admitted the offence, saying he had thrown the tin into a skip and used the contents to buy cigarettes.

The court heard Viveash had been homeless for a large portion of the past few years and had a serious heroin addiction.

Sentencing, district judge David Parsons said Viveash had 44 previous convictions.

"The fact both of these offences were against charities makes it a particularly mean offence on each occasion," he said.

Viveash was given a 12-week prison sentence for the burglary and eight weeks for the theft, to run consecutively. He will serve 10 weeks before being released.

Gwent Police said they have been working with Viveash for the past three-and-a-half years in an attempt to curb his offending and that the theft of the charity tin was typical of the crimes he committed.