A man has been charged with stealing his own barrister's mobile phone during a court appearance.

The unlikely scenario was detailed in a tweet from Scotland Yard's @MPSBexley account this afternoon.

"Bobby Heath, 25, has just been charged with stealing his barrister's mobile phone," the force said.

The alleged theft happened on May 1 at Bexley Magistrates' Court in Bexleyheath, it added.

Bobby Heath, 25 of Strood, Kent has just been charged with stealing his barristers mobile phone at Bexley magistrates court on 1st May 2015. — Bexley MPS (@MPSBexley) May 5, 2015

Heath, of Simnel Road, Lewisham, has now been bailed to appear at the same court on June 2, a police spokesman said.