Yahoo News Byker woman stole £1,200 of clothes and booze from two shops to fund drug habit
A thieving Byker woman stole more than £1,200-worth of clothes and booze when she targeted two stores on five occasions.
Jodie Denham, 36, sometimes helped herself to goods from the same shop twice within an hour when she brazenly walked in, grabbed her loot and ran out. The mum-of-three, who is no stranger to the courts and was jailed for 10 weeks back in August, stole £1,151-worth of jeans and t-shirts from Urban Outfitters, in Newcastle City Centre, and £83-worth of wine from Tesco, just yards away from the courts on Newcastle's Quayside.
The prolific thief targeted Urban Outfitters three times in a week, including twice on the same day, and Tesco twice within an hour, prosecutors said. Magistrates in the city were told that she stole the goods to fund a long-standing drug habit.
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Denham, of Denmark Street, in Byker, has now promised to try and change for the "sake of her grandchild" when she appeared in the dock to plead guilty to six counts of shop theft. She was given a 12-month community order and must abide by a curfew from 7pm until 7am for the next six months.
Claire Armstrong, prosecuting, said Denham first stole wine from Tesco on May 13, once at 12.20pm and again at 1.20pm. She then stole wine for a third time from the same shop the following day.
On July 9, the crook entered Urban Outfitters. Miss Armstrong added: "At 11.20am, she went in and stole multiple t-shirts and jeans, valued at £300. She then returned to the shop on the same day at 12.50pm and stole numerous pairs of jeans and tops, worth £400.
"Then, on July 16, the defendant again enters Urban Outfitters and proceeds to take a number of jeans and tops, valued at £401. None of the goods are recovered."
The court heard that Denham had numerous offences on his record and was given a suspended sentence in April, which was activated in August.
Kash Khan, defending, said Denham had been struggling with a drug problem since she was 16 and was using crack-cocaine at the time of the thefts. He added: "She planned to sell the goods to by crack-cocaine and alcohol."
Mr Khan added: "She now has a grandchild and wants to change her life for that child. I would say you could sentence her in the community."
Denham was also ordered to pay £1,151 compensation to Urban Outfitters and £83 to Tesco.
