Appearing in Ballarat Magistrates Court yesterday, Joseph Edward Poley admitted that the thefts breached a three-month suspended sentence, as well as an 18-month community based order.

Poley, 47, formerly of Ballarat North, pilfered items left in Ballarat primary school yards to fulfil his sexual desires.

He was sentenced to 18 months' jail, with a non-parole period of 12 months for those offences by the County Court in Ballarat on November 18 last year.

Yesterday, defence lawyer Mike Wardell told the court his client accepted full responsibility for his actions, which violated the previous court orders, and had benefited from participating in a sex offenders' program.

Mr Wardell also said, unlike the offences which earned Poley the suspended sentence and community based order, the thefts were committed at night and did not involve approaching children.

He asked the court to consider that his client now understood the damage such behaviour could cause.