A Bristol man callously stole a purse belonging to his former partner as she lay exhausted in hospital just hours after giving birth to their baby.

Brian McIntosh went through Claire Norman's belongings as she lay sleeping.

The 29-year-old then used her cash cards to withdraw more than £500 to spend on drugs.

He later went to her home while she was still in hospital and stole a new card and PIN that had been sent to replace the stolen one. Then he used it to steal more cash.

Bristol magistrates heard that Miss Norman was in St Michael's Hospital in February after giving birth.

Mark Humphries, prosecuting, said: "She had a caesarian section and telephoned McIntosh to let him know she had given birth.

"She thought he may want to see the baby but he visited her as well, which she didn't want him to do, and spent three or four hours discussing things with her. Miss Norman was in bed and very drowsy and the defendant went through her belongings and took her purse which was in her tracksuit bottom trousers.

"The purse contained her bank cards and her passport. He then left the hospital and used the card to make withdrawals.

"Later he then went to her house and retrieved the replacement bank card and PIN number that had been sent to her home to replace the one that had been stolen.

"He then used that card to withdraw more money. In total the amount of money he debited from her account was £518.

"He was later arrested and admitted stealing the cards and using them to withdraw money.

"He told officers that he was in a state and 'needed a hit'.

"He claimed that he had gone to her address to get some clothes but had seen the new card and number and taken it.

"He admitted using the new card four times to make various withdrawals."

McIntosh, of Brigstocke Road, St Paul's, pleaded guilty to taking Miss Norman's purse and fraudulently using her cards to withdraw money from her account.

He also asked for three other instances of using the card to be taken into consideration.

Miss Norman is still trying to get compensation for the money that was taken.

And magistrates were told McIntosh had no money to pay her back.

Ruth Perry, defending, said: "My client was clean of drugs for many years.

"This was a short relapse after his other children had been taken into care.

"Both offences were opportunistic. They were not planned offences.

"The money was spent on drugs. He says the drug relapse was short lived.

"He fell off the wagon because his life had got so stressful."

Miss Perry told the court that McIntosh had recently received a onerous community order for an assault on Miss Norman.

Magistrates gave McIntosh a 12-month community order with supervision to run alongside his current court order.

They said they would not order McIntosh to pay costs or compensation to Miss Norman because of his limited means.