A man charged with stealing a marked police van has appeared in court after he admitted cutting off his electronic tag.

Sean Warman, 27, has been charged with taking the vehicle - a marked Vauxhall Vivaro van - from Lowestoft police station during the evening of Saturday, November 10.

Officers responded to calls from the public in response to sightings of the vehicle being driven erratically in Lowestoft, Pakefield, Kessingland and Halesworth.

Warman, of Abigail Court, Park Road, Lowestoft, has denied a number of offences, including aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, blackmail, robbery, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

He is due to stand trial at Ipswich Crown Court in May and has a pre-trial review hearing on April 25.

Warman was granted bail with conditions, including abiding by an electronically-monitored curfew which means he must reside at his address between 8pm and 4am each day.

But Norwich Magistrates Court heard that on January 1 the defendant had called police, and the monitoring service, to say he had 'taken his tag off' and 'may commit further offences or harm himself'.

Denise Holland, prosecuting, said police went to his address and found him.

During interview he admitted having cut the tag off saying 'everything was on top of him' and had regretted his actions.

Warman, who appeared in court on Wednesday, January 2 from Great Yarmouth Police Investigation Centre (PIC), admitted criminal damage.

Andrew Spence, mitigating, said his client, who has bi-polar disorder, had been struggling following the breakdown of his former relationship.

Warman, who works as a forklift truck driver, had time off over Christmas and found his relationship with his ex partner, with whom he has a four year old son, quite stressful and 'it all got on top of him'.

Mr Spence said his actions were a 'cry for help' and he was 'sorry for what he did'.

Warman was allowed to remain on conditional bail by city magistrates who reminded him he had to adhere to the electronically monitored curfew at Abigail Court.

The time spent in custody was deemed time served, although he was ordered to pay £100 compensation and £85 costs.