VIOLENT THIEF BANNED FROM EVERY TESCO
SHOPLIFTER ‘USED BLOOD AS WEAPON’ CLAIMING TO HAVE AIDS
A SHOPLIFTER has been banned from every Tesco store in England and Wales.
Jodie Marie Skelton used her blood “as a weapon” by falsely claiming to have Aids during a skirmish with staff at the Tesco Express store in Sibson Road, Birstall.
Leicester Crown Court was told the 33-yearold was with a man acting as a decoy in the store on December 21 when she was challenged by staff about items she had taken up.
Samuel Lowne, prosecuting, said: “She refused to give the goods back, instead throwing the items on the floor.”
Skelton then pushed a member of staff, grabbed one victim’s throat, began pulling hair and was scratching and hitting out with bottles and cans, while shouting racial abuse.
Having cut herself in the melee, she wiped her blood on a male employee’s hands, saying: “I’ve got Aids.”
Skelton, of Martin Avenue, Mountsorrel, admitted three counts of racially aggravated common assault, and shoplifting.
Sentencing her to a total of 41 weeks in prison, Judge Philip Head said Skelton used her blood and the false Aids threat “as a particularly unpleasant weapon” intended to terrify the staff.
SHOPLIFTER has been banned from all Tesco stores after using her blood “as a weapon” by falsely claiming to have Aids during a skirmish.
Jodie Marie Skelton went to the Express store in Sibson Road, Birstall, accompanied by a man who acted as a decoy.
Leicester Crown Court was told the 33-year-old defendant began putting items into a bag while the other person tried to distract staff.
Samuel Lowne, prosecuting, said: “She was challenged and asked to return the items but refused to give the goods back, instead throwing the items on the floor.”
She pushed a member of staff who was attempting to detain her with two colleagues.
She grabbed the first victim’s throat, began pulling hair and was scratching and hitting out with bottles and cans, while shouting racial abuse.
Skelton dug her fingernails into a male employee’s fingers and spat in his direction, but missed.
Having cut herself in the melee, she wiped her blood on a male employee’s hands, saying “I’ve got Aids” and attempted to wipe blood on another shop worker.
The prosecutor said the incident lasted 15 to 20 minutes.
Skelton, of Martin Avenue, Mountsorrel, admitted three counts of racially aggravated common assault upon Tesco Express employees and shoplifting goods of an unknown value, on December 21.
She admitted being in breach of two suspended sentences, totalling 10 months, for having a bladed artiA cle and shoplifting, in April, as well as taking cannabis into prison when visiting an inmate, in October.
The court heard she had numerous theft and dishonesty offences on her record.
Sentencing, Judge Philip Head said: “It’s unacceptable in this city or anywhere to use (racist) language like that and you should be ashamed of yourself, it was disgraceful.”
He said Skelton used her blood and the false Aids threat “as a particularly unpleasant weapon” intended to “terrify” the staff.
Judge Head said: “It’s similar to the recent cases of people claiming to have Covid but this has a far more frightening air to it.”
He said there was no suggestion Skelton did have Aids.
He said: “I think Tesco is due a relief from you. I’m making a twoyear restraining order and you are not to enter any Tesco store in England and Wales.”
He said he did not have any jurisdiction over Scotland.
Jailing her for a total of 41 weeks, he told Skelton: “Stop shoplifting.”
Skelton, wearing a top, emblazoned with the word ‘Fearless’ smiled in the dock and said: “Thank you.”
Tony Ventham, mitigating, said Skelton’s “madness” on that afternoon, shortly before Christmas, put her accommodation under threat.
He said: “The threat and using blood is an aggravating factor but there was no premeditation.
“She had a subordinate role and the man she was with got away with it.”
He said Skelton was successfully weaning herself off heroin with a Methadone prescription, had taken various courses in custody to better herself and was deeply remorseful.