Telford woman's £1 sausage roll theft from Tesco costs her £215

Donna Edwards was told she must pay £215 in court costs – and £1 compensation for the sausage roll – after she walked out of the Tesco Express store in Haygate Road in Wellington without paying.

The fee included a £150 criminal court charge, which has been mandatory for all criminal cases since the Government brought in new legislation in April.

Mr Steven Meredith, representing Edwards at Telford Magistrates Court yesterday, said he did not know why the defendant had not been given a caution for her actions as she had no previous criminal convictions.

Edwards, who had pleaded guilty to one count of theft, must also pay a £15 victim surcharge – which has been mandatory in courts since 2007 – and a contribution of £50 towards the prosecution request for £135 costs.

Both mandatory charges were set at the lowest possible level.

The court was told that Edwards had received one caution from the police for her unruly behaviour on the day that she was arrested, but had previously been of good character.

Mrs Abigail Hall, prosecuting, said that Edwards, of Victoria Mews, Victoria Road, Wellington, had been seen by staff at the Tesco Express with another male putting items into a bag and walking out without paying on October 13 this year.

A description of the pair was circulated to police who spotted them and detained Edwards after a brief chase.

At the time of her arrest Edwards, 22, was holding a sausage roll and would not explain to police officers where she had got it from, said Mrs Hall.

Edwards had been "verbally abusive" to officers after she was arrested for theft, within hearing distance of members of the public, said Mrs Hall who added that due to the defendant's behaviour a police van was requested.

Edwards later told officers in interview that she had drunk 1.5 litres of vodka and taken two diazepam pills and described herself as "a bit wrecked", the court was told.

Mr Steven Meredith, for Edwards, said that a number of mental health issues had played a part in Edwards' behaviour.

"I have no idea why she was not given a caution for the theft of the sausage roll. It's entirely possible and happens on a regular basis," said Mr Meredith.

He added that it was "a sad indictment of the court system" that for stealing one £1 sausage roll "she will now have about £300 to pay when this could have been dealt with by a police caution".