The principal paid for a regular-sized coffee however he helped himself to a large cup at a convenience store self-service machine.

The man, who is a principal at a junior high school, was caught in Takasago, after a worker saw him pressing the button for a large cup on 31 December. He was dismissed from his job and had his teaching licence revoked.

He also did not receive his retirement pay which is believed to be about 20 million yen (around £105,000).

Prosecutors decided not to indict him after receiving files on the suspected theft from the police, but acknowledged that he committed theft, the Straits Times reports.