Shoplifter on bail stole jacket from shop on way to court

A shoplifter who visited a store on her way to court to steal a jacket was jailed for 90 days yesterday.

Darlene Mullen was wearing the stolen coat when she arrived at Perth Sheriff Court to be sentenced in relation to other shoplifting charges.

She was caught on camera asking court security staff to help her remove the security tag from the stolen clothing to put it in the bin.

Solicitor David Holmes, defending, asked for a community sentence for Mullen as he said she was on the right track towards dealing with her criminal behaviour.

But Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said: “Let me stop you right there. She was supposed to be here at 10am on 19 September to be sentenced by my brother sheriff for shoplifting.

“At 10:25 am she stopped off on her way here to steal a coat from Primark. You can hardly tell me that is her being on the right track.”

He said he had no option but to jail Mullen after she admitted stopping off to steal the coat from Perth’s Primark store after being caught cold during Storm Ali last month.

Mullen, 26, of Nimmo Place, Perth, had already been spotted on CCTV and was recognised by her distinctive red wellington boots so she was arrested on the court steps.

The court was told last month that she was unable to appear because she had been arrested a short time before her case called.

She then appeared from custody and admitted stealing clothing from Primark on 19 September, while she was on bail.

She also admitted being in possession of £100 worth of heroin when she was arrested.

Fiscal depute Carol Whyte told the court: “The item was valued at 25 pounds. When the accused was arrested at court she was wearing the jacket.

“Although it was not in a resaleable condition, I doubt she still has it.”

She said Mullen was also carrying five wraps of heroin worth around £100 when she turned up at court.

Co-accused Natalie Radunski, 22, also appeared from custody alongside Mullen and admitted stealing items of clothing from Primark.

A court source said: “It takes some nerve to stop off on the way to court to steal a jacket because you haven’t dressed warm enough to cope with the storm.

“It was absolutely tipping down when they arrived at court and Darlene hadn’t even taken the label and price tag off the jacket she had stolen.”

Radunski, also of Nimmo Place, Perth, was jailed for four months yesterday.