A recidivist thief who stole a jacket and mobile phone just an hour after leaving a Hamilton court for unrelated matters has been sentenced to five days in jail. 

Kristopher Holmes, 34, of  Kenna Avenue, Hamilton, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court to theft. 

He was jailed for five days with one day already spent in custody on remand. 

Earlier: 

A thief charged with stealing a jacket and mobile phone just an hour after being placed on a corrections order in Hamilton court is now back in the police cells.

Warrnambool police Sergeant Tracie Kelly said the 34-year-old ​Hamilton man had been remanded in custody overnight and would appear in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Thursday for a bail/remand hearing.

She said the man appeared in Hamilton court on Wednesday charged with burglary and theft.

He was placed on a community corrections order by magistrate Franz Holzer.

But, about an hour after leaving court the man was in the gaming room at Grand Central Hotel​ in Gray Street.

Police allege he stole a jacket and mobile phone, before leaving the venue.

Security camera footage ​​showed the man in the venue and staff recognised him.

​Hamilton Sergeant Rex Habel said hotel staff alerted police at 1.54pm.

"The man was identified through security camera footage and he's known there," he said.

"He was arrested at his Kenna Avenue home at 3.10pm, then interviewed, charged and remanded in custody.

"He is a habitual offender who is well known to police. He has 91 pages of priors​.

"It was excellent police work, with the assistance of hotel staff, to be able to identify the man within an hour of him being in court and to soon after arrest him," he said.

The man is expected to appear before magistrate Holzer again today, who is expected to be less than impressed with the turn of events.

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