Thief struck at Burnley supermarket within three days of court appearance

Burnley magistrates heard how 37-year-old Miss Barrie Pounder put some dolls in her handbag in the town's Tesco store but was caught and the property was recovered.

Pounder, who has 17 offences on her record, was last before court on Tuesday, November 13th and was out thieving again three days later on Friday, November 16th.

Mr Mark Williams, defending, said Pounder was driven by the fact she had had a significant amount of money taken from her benefits to pay existing court fines.

She had been having £90 to £100 taken out which meant she couldn't manage, had borrowed and had got to the stage where she had nowhere else to turn to.

Mr Williams said:" She is at something of a loss to explain why she did it, other than the difficulties she's been having."

The defendant, of Colne Road, Burnley, admitted theft of children's toys worth £100. She was given 40 hours unpaid work and must pay an £85 victim surcharge.

Bench chairman Mr Graham Jagger told the defendant: "The concern we have is this is a repeated offence so soon after the previous one."