A labourer, who had initially denied a charge of breaking and entering, on Tuesday changed his plea and was fined $100,000 by a city court.
Rafeek Ali, 29, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan last month when he was charged with breaking and entering the house of Michael Lynch and stealing a knife and shirt valued at $7,950.
The facts presented were that Lynch was returning home for lunch when he saw the defendant leaving through his back door with a bowl of food his wife had cooked and a knife and shirt in his back pants pocket.
Ali had pleaded not guilty to the charge and the matter was transferred to Court 11, where Magistrate Annette Singh presides.
On Tuesday however, the defendant, who the court was told was convicted in 2011 for a similar offence, took the opportunity to change his plea and was ordered to pay a fine of $100,000.