Six months for serial shoplifter

spared jail after she admitted stealing a quantity of beauty items and candles from Asda in Dunkeld Road on September 6, 2017, while subject to an August 15 bail order that year.

She also made off with a quantity of perfume from Sports Direct, at the St Catherine’s Retail Park, on September 24, 2017, while she was on two bail orders.

Depute fiscal Michael Sweeney said both incidents were caught on CCTV and the items were recovered.

The groceries were worth almost £100 and the perfume just under £40.

Cumming also pled guilty to stealing a quantity of toiletries from Tesco Metro, in Perth’s South Street, on July 20, 2019, and the following day, failing to pay for a quantity of cleaning products at Sainsbury’s, in the High Street, while subject to bail. A third charge of stealing the mobile from a house in Rannoch Road, Perth, on June 15 this year was also admitted.

Mr Sweeney said the accused had gone into the bedroom of the property.

She was recognised by the tenant, who was in bed, but he went back to sleep. When he woke up again and checked his phone, it was no longer there.

When interviewed by police, Cumming claimed she had taken the phone “by mistake” and intended to return it.

Solicitor Paul Ralph said his client had deteriorated after failing to take her medication.

He added: “Hopefully she will be stabilised medication-wise while in custody.”

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis backdated the jail terms to July 23 when Cumming had first been remanded.