Confusion arose in the Whanganui District Court on Tuesday when a man pleaded guilty to stealing a dalmatian dog but later told the judge the dog was a gift.
Barry Grey, 57, refused legal representation and insisted on pleading guilty to theft "to get it over and done with".
Judge Allan Roberts then referred to the police summary of facts and said on June 8 at around 12.35pm Grey stole the dalmatian from a Whanganui resident's front veranda.
"It was obviously a targeted theft, you went there to take the dog," the judge told Grey.
Grey responded to the judge in protest: "No you're wrong, the dog was given to me by the owner...the owner helped me put the dog in the car."