Thief on mobility scooter stole £500 worth of perfume in Shrewsbury

Sarah Burton, 47, who suffers from type II lung disease and was breathing through an oxygen cylinder was described as a "professional shoplifter" when she appeared at Telford magistrates court.

Kate Price, prosecuting, said that Burton was observed by staff at Rackhams on September 24 as she placed a box of perfume in a box resting between her feet on her mobility scooter.

Burton then left the store without paying and drove her scooter up Pride Hill to Superdrug where she stole toiletries worth £26, also putting them in the box.

Police stopped Burton and recovered the items and a foil lined box she used to pass them through sensors.

Burton, of Matlock Avenue, Dawley, admitted two charges of theft and one of going equipped for theft.

She was given a 12-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and £80 victim surcharge.

The court was told that Burton was too sick to carry out a community punishment and had limited means.

District Judge Nigel Cadbury said: "It's up to you whether you go to prison or not now.

"You do have poor health but it does not seem to stop you going out and committing crime. You can't have it both ways."

For Burton, Miss Elizabeth Hughes said the defendant was in her own words "a professional shoplifter since the age of 16" with 44 convictions for 138 offences, 93 of which were related to theft.

Burton had sought counselling for what she termed her kleptomania, added Mrs Hughes.

Miss Hughes said that her client was still approached by people who asked her to carry out thefts because of her past.

She added that her illness had initially presented her with symptoms of dementia.

"She can't account for what she did that day. She was acting out of character having not been in trouble for sometime," said Miss Hughes.

District Judge Nigel Cadbury told her "You're record makes it quite clear that you are a thoroughly dishonest person."

"You took a foil lined bag with you. That does not suggest confusion to me. This is your usual dishonest behaviour, this is not out of character."