A bizarre trial got underway in Germany when a man sat in the dock accused of stealing a rucksack full of sex toys.

Adrian O., 24, was accused of stashing a 24-centimetre (nine-inch) long dildo worth EUR 64.99 (GBP 56), a masturbator worth EUR 99.90 (GBP 86), a bondage set, and other items including lingerie into his backpack at the Sexy Devil store in Hamburg.

He did all this under the eyes of 20-year-old sales assistant Akosua Rosenbach, who told local media: “Often we don’t even notice theft. He did it openly.”

Adrian O. fled the sex shop with EUR 362 (GBP 310) worth of stolen goods but was arrested by police just 90 metres (98 yards) away.

While on trial for theft and assault, he told the district court in Hamburg-Mitte: “I don’t know what I intended to do with these objects. Maybe I wanted to sell them.”

Adrian O., a trained mechanic from Poland, had moved to Germany in May but had fallen on hard times.

He was reportedly sleeping rough and downing up to two daily bottles of vodka, which he had no means to pay for, at the time of the events.

He had ended up in custody for an earlier theft but had been released with a fine of EUR 500 (GBP 430) on 21st October.

Just five days later, he had walked into the sex shop.

The dildo thief told the district court: “I apologise. It will never happen again.”

Despite his apparent contrition, he was found guilty of theft and assault, having spat in a police officer’s mouth during a check at an emergency shelter.

Following his conviction, the judge slapped him with a fine of EUR 700 (GBP 600) and put him on probation for three months.

He has since returned the sex toys.