Two men stole mobile phones from a bedroom at Dawn Centre, Conduit Street, in Leicester

Two men stole mobile phones from a bedroom where four people were sleeping in a homeless persons' centre, a court heard.

Daniel Porter and Christopher McDonald were captured on CCTV carrying out the offence.

Grace Hale, prosecuting, said the burglary was committed at 5am in the Dawn Centre, Conduit Street, off London Road, Leicester, on August 29.

The victims were Polish nationals sharing a room.

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The centre was full and they were being put up in a former staff room, converted into a dormitory. The door did not have a lock, Leicester Crown Court was told.

Miss Hale said: "Both defendants were also residents at the centre at the time.

"Two of the victims woke up the next morning to find their phones had gone missing, along with a phone charger."

Porter kept watch in the doorway as McDonald crept in and stole the property.

Both men admitted burglary.

Porter (29), of no fixed address, was jailed for 11 months.

McDonald (26), of Station Road, Countesthorpe, was given an eight-month jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, with supervision, and told to attend a six-month alcohol treatment programme.

The defendants were then evicted from the centre.

James Varley, mitigating for Porter, said: "He has a long-standing addiction to drugs and alcohol but sought voluntary treatment earlier last year, and was clean for three months. However, shortly before the offence he relapsed."

Daniel Bishop, for McDonald, said: "He'd been drinking throughout the day and has little recollection of what occurred."