Thief exits Telford court in security delay
A convicted shoplifter who had been remanded into custody walked out of court and went back into the Shropshire town centre where she had carried out her offences.
Rebecca Hitchin, 32, pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to stealing perfume and aftershave from Debenhams and Marks & Spencer at Telford Shopping Centre.
She was told by a court clerk to wait for a female custody escort to take her down to the cells. But instead she told court staff, who were powerless to stop her, that she was going into town and walked out of the building.
Fortunately the fragrance thief, of Blews Hill Court, Dawley, later returned of her own accord and was taken to prison.
An investigation has been launched.
It is understood there was no female escort officer at the court from GeoAmey – which provides prisoner transport on behalf of the Ministry of Justice – when magistrates ordered Hitchin to be remanded in custody.
The security service called for a woman to be found and the court clerk ordered Hitchin to sit at the back of the court. But the offender left before staff could detain her.
Hitchin was serving a suspended sentence imposed by Shrewsbury Crown Court and her guilty pleas on Wednesday to three charges of theft activated a prison sentence.
A GeoAmey spokesman said: "This matter is subject to an investigation to enable appropriate lessons to be learnt to prevent reoccurrence."
Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service which runs Telford Magistrates Court said it had nothing to add to GeoAmey's comment.
