Bag thief stole on her way to court
BRAZEN CHERRY TOOK OVER £2K WORTH OF HANDBAGS
Reporter A BRAZEN shop thief took a detour on her way to court in order to steal £250worth of handbags.
Kayleigh Cherry was on her way to South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court in April for separate offences when she decided to stop off at a TK Maxx store and help herself to the designer goods.
The 29-year-old was due in the dock at 10am but stole the handbags just 30 minutes before, a court heard.
She was given a community order on that appearance but was back in court again for the TK Maxx offence on Wednesday.
The mum-of-two, of Brigham Close, Montagu Estate, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to two counts of shop theft, both from TK Maxx in Cramlington.
North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court was told that Cherry first went into the store on April 16 and helped herself to £1,500-worth of designer handbags before leaving.
District Judge Kate Meek said that the second offence happened at the same store on April 24, just 30 minutes before she was due in the dock on a separate shoplifting charge.
The judge said: “It would seem she did a detour on her way to court as the offence was committed at 9.30am.”
Alanna Wesencraft, defending, said prolific thief Cherry had struggled financially as a single mum.
“When one of her children reached five years old, her income support stopped and she had to apply for Universal Credit,” Ms Wesencraft said.
“That application took six weeks to come through. She found herself for two months without an income whatsoever. The handbags were near the entrance of TK Maxx and she went and grabbed them and left.
“That was in April and that’s the last of her offending as she’s now back in receipt of benefits.”
District Judge Meek adjourned the case for the preparation of a pre-sentence report,
Cherry was released on bail to next appear back at the same court on August 21.