THE first weekend sitting of the Melbourne Magistrates Court has opened with little fanfare - but was presented with the tale of a hungry couple and a packet of hidden meat.
Chief Magistrate Peter Lauritsen presided over the first hearing, designed to help ease overcrowding in prisons and jail cells.
Dozens of court cases have been delayed or adjourned this year because remand centres are full and prisoners can't be brought over to court.
One magistrate called the situation "so far beyond a joke".
Mr Lauritsen made no comments about overcrowding when he opened the Saturday sitting and instead heard its first case: about a 27-year-old man and his girlfriend arrested outside a supermarket.
The court heard the woman put a $20 pack of beef in her shopping basket on Friday before her boyfriend stuffed it down his pants.
Their Legal Aid lawyers said the couple ran out of money for food and made the "stupid decision" to steal.
Mr Lauritsen released the man on bail while the woman pleaded guilty and was released on a one-year good behaviour bond.
It is one of dozens of small-time cases that pile up over the weekend, backlogging the courts come Monday morning.
The pilot program could be extended until October next year if successful in reducing the backlog.
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