Telford Aldi meat thief shocked at punishment
A woman who stole three joints of meat from Aldi appeared shocked when she received a suspended prison sentence and hundreds of pounds of fines.
Lorna Williams protested that she only received ESA benefits when told by magistrates that she would have to pay £315 of mandatory court charges for stealing three joints of beef worth just £20, which were returned to the store for sale.
Mr Chris Coughlan, prosecuting at Telford Magistrates Court, said Williams was spotted shopping at the store in Donnington with a bag placed inside her basket.
The defendant then placed the basket on the floor and left the shop carrying the bag.
But she was immediately stopped by staff who then took the products back inside to be sold, said Mr Coughlan.
Williams yesterday pleaded guilty to the theft which took place on May 20.
Williams was also ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs, a mandatory £80 victim surcharge and mandatory criminal court charges of £150.
Mr Steven Meredith, for Williams, said that the defendant had felt pressured into committing the theft as a favour by criminal associates, who claimed that she owed it to them.
The 38-year-old had made full and frank admissions to police but had been acting "under duress" he said.
Mr Meredith said Williams, who had previous convictions for shoplifting, had "felt that she was under a heavy obligation" due to her indirect involvement in another criminal matter and had "feared for her personal safety".
As magistrates indicated they felt that Williams' previous criminal convictions aggravated the offence, Mr Meredith added that even with her history her most recent theft did not pass the threshold for a prison sentence. He said that the offence would normally go through the step of a community punishment, especially as it was "low value" and "unsophisticated".
The court was told that Williams had recently completed community orders for similar theft offences.
Magistrate Helen Thompson said: "You're a persistent shoplifter. The community penalties do not seem to have worked and you have only just completed a community order for the same type of offence."
Williams, of St Matthews Road, Donnington, was given a six-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months.
"If you commit other offences then when you come back to the court you will be on a suspended sentence order," said Mrs Thompson.
