A man who took a chequebook and used it to steal £2,000 from his bosses has been jailed for two years.

Robert Dahr cashed three cheques because he believed the cleaning firm he worked for had underpaid him.

Richard Cherryl, prosecuting, told Hove Crown Court Dahr committed the offence in January.

He had also committed two shoplifting offences in May and June this year.

At the time he was subject to a nine-month prison sentence for a theft in January last year, which was suspended for two years.

Dahr, 40, of Mount Pleasant, Brighton, pleaded guilty to stealing the chequebook and obtaining money by deception as well as shoplifting and appeared for sentencing yesterday.

Lewis Power, defending, said his client had an alcohol problem which had contributed to the offences.

He was working as a cleaner at the Royal Sussex County Hospital but was sacked after he applied for a job as a porter.

Judge David Rennie also ordered the defendant should additionally serve 244 days of the suspended sentence.