A homeless man has admitted stealing dummies from children because they gave him comfort in his tent.

A court heard that Josh Guilder “has never been weaned from dummies”.

The 23-year-old pleaded guilty to five counts of theft at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

He took the items from babies around Harlow, Essex, between 10 February and 7 August this year.

In one incident, Guilder reached into a young girl’s buggy, “took her dummy from her mouth, put it in his pocket and left”, prosecutor Jessica Pratt Vivian said.

Mary Buxton, defending, said Guilder “would take the dummy then go and sit in the tent and use the dummy” – describing the thefts as “purely acquisitive”.

Guilder also admitted causing harassment, alarm or distress to a police officer on 14 August – the day he was arrested.

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The prosecutor said he told the officer: “If my stuff gets broken, I swear I will kill you.”

He denied three charges of assault relating to some of the children he took dummies from.

Guilder was remanded in custody and is due to stand trial for the assault matters at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on 10 October.

DCI Alan Blakesley said: “We know these incidents rightly caused concern amongst the community in Harlow.

“We acted quickly and decisively in investigating these matters and I would like to thank the multitude of people who shared our appeals and came forward with information to assist us with our enquiries.”

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