Woman Steals Food After Benefits Stopped

A woman who tried to steal a trolley of food because her benefits had been cut off, was given a six-month conditional discharge by Swindon magistrates.

Michelle Thompson, 34, of Huntley Close, pleaded guilty to stealing more than £200 of groceries from Tesco in Ocotal Way on April 19.

Two women went into the store, each with a trolley, and then went around the aisles picking up shopping before separating, prosecutor Keith Ballinger told the court on Monday.

One of them walked out of the store without paying but was stopped by security staff. While they were dealing with her Thompson walked her trolley through an unmanned checkout and made to leave the store. She was also stopped, he told the court.

Later she told police she and the other woman had planned to pay for one trolley-load of shopping and steal the other.

Thompson claimed she was the one who was going to pay but the other woman had her credit card so she couldn’t.

Emma Thacker, defending, said: “This has arisen out of the fact that her benefits have been sanctioned since February.”

She had missed a couple of DWP appointments because of medical problems and as a result was now receiving nothing at all.

Her client had been diagnosed as bi-polar and she was struggling with the condition. Previously Thompson had been addicted to crack cocaine but she had sought help from drug and alcohol services and was on a prescription.

She urged the bench to consider taking the exceptional step of imposing a conditional discharge, pointing out that a fine would be difficult for Thompson, who owes over £800 in outstanding fines for TV licencing matters.

The magistrates ordered Thompson to pay £50 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.