A serial shoplifter has been jailed for 26 weeks

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Thursday, November 10, how Leanne Jayne Wright, 28, of Harpur Hill Close, Chesterfield, raided Boots, Asda, Morrisons, Tesco, McColl’s store and B&M Bargains and twice failed to surrender to custody and breached a community order.

Magistrates told Wright they had no choice but to jail her after the defendant had been involved in targeted offending in Chesterfield with planning despite previous attempts to help her with a community order and probation service support.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “There was a theft of groceries valued at £79.72 from Tesco Metro on February 18 when she was with a co-accused and was seen coming in with an empty bag and left with full bags having only paid for a rice pudding.

“On October 21 she committed a theft of meat valued at £40.38 from Morrisons and walked through the exit doors and even though the meat was taken back and recovered it had to be destroyed because of company policy.

“She was also seen on CCTV on October 15 picking up chocolates from McColl’s store and she left the store with £14.09 of chocolates and on October 31 she was seen putting Lego in a bag at Asda but she was confronted.

“The defendant was also seen going in and out of Boots three separate times on November 1 and she took items of cosmetics and put them in a bag and left without paying.”

Wright pleaded guilty to six thefts and one attempted theft.

She also pleaded guilty to twice failing to surrender to custody while on bail and admitted failing to comply with a previously imposed community order for one theft from Tesco and one theft from B&M Bargains and for failing to surrender to custody.

Defence solicitor Steve Brint said Wright has previously had her two children placed into alternate care and she has struggled with a drug habit and has had no where to reside.

Magistrates sentenced Wright to 26 weeks of custody and ordered her to pay £504.47 in compensation.