Woman Who Took Flowers From Boy's Grave Fined

A woman who was caught on camera stealing flowers from a child's grave has been fined after being reported to the police by her daughter.

Berta Manzanero, a 71-year-old widow from Dagenham, east London, admitted stealing four flower pots worth £15 from Rippleside Cemetary last month.

The floral tributes were taken from the graves of Stephen Rose's aunt and male cousin, who died as a child in the 1980s.

Mr Rose's family noticed the flowers had gone missing over an 18-month period and had CCTV put in place.

Manzanero was arrested on Thursday after her daughter recognised pictures of her in the media and called police .

At Redbridge Magistrates Court on Friday the elderly woman was fined £300, plus £30 in costs and compensation.

The court heard Manzanero had suffered from depression after her 40-year-old son, who worked in the financial sector, killed himself.

Soon after his death, Manzanero's husband and mother also died. Their graves are also at Rippleside Cemetary.

Defence lawyer Kaushik Ramdhary said the theft had been an "impulsive" act brought on by Manzanero's love of flowers.

"On that day she went to visit relatives and on her way back she saw some beautiful flowers and put them in her bag," he said.

During sentencing, magistrate Glen Pierre said: "We have taken into account the high sentimental value and the effect on the family concerned."