Shoplifter caught twice in eight days

Lisa Anne Duckworth (35) stole a haul worth almost £360 from a Burnley store and meat from a supermarket, the town’s magistrates heard.

Duckworth, of Clarence Street, admitted thieving bags and clothing worth £359.93 from TK Maxx in the town on June 13th and stealing food worth £20 from Burnley Aldi three days later.

The court was told she had been armed with a pair of pliers, possibly for cutting tags off goods and when questioned said she wanted to sell the goods on as she needed the cash.

The Bench revoked a community order she was already on, resentenced and gave her a nine-month community order with a drugs programme. Duckworth was told she didn’t have to pay the costs or victim surcharge because of her means. She was fined £20 and told to pay £20 compensation for the meat, which was not recovered.

Last Tuesday the same court was told the defendant, who then gave the surname Gorton, stole electrical items to the value of more than £250 from Boots after she had relapsed into drugs misuse.

The defendant, who wants to try and get into a rehabilitation unit, had admitted theft to the value of £259.98 from the Burnley branch, on June 28th. The justices had revoked a conditional discharge she was in breach of and gave her a four-week curfew, between 10pm and 6am. The curfew will continue alongside her new sentence.

Mr Mark Williams, defending Duckworth/Gorton, said the two offences dealt with most recently were her ninth and 10th convictions for theft this year and it was all fuelled by her drugs misuse.

The defendant had sought treatment and was on methadone. The solicitor added: "I’m acutely aware that every time she comes before the court it’s getting more serious."