Charity project boss was secret junkie, court told
Suspended sentence for handbag snatch
A FORMER homelessness project manager who snatched a pensioner's handbag to feed her secret heroin habit gasped as she was sentenced to imprisonment.
Claire Tina Leonard then sighed with relief on being told by Newbury magistrates on Thursday, October 22, that they were suspending the jail term.
At a previous hearing, the secret heroin hell of the 37-year-old, formerly of Hutton Close, Newbury, but who now lives at Longcroft Road, Thatcham, was revealed to the court.
For despite presenting an outwardly respectable existence, involving managerial roles and university study, Ms Leonard had slipped back into addiction – and the drug’s relentless grip prompted her to snatch a pensioner’s handbag, the court was told on Thursday, July 9.
She snatched the 75-year-old woman's handbag, containing birthday gift cash, from her victim at a bus stop.
Magistrates were told her victim and a member of the public gave chase, but she escaped.
However, said heloen Waite, prosecuting, she was subsequently caught out by fingerprint evidence on the discarded handbag.
At the previous hearing Ms Leonard admitted stealing the handbag containing £134 on April 8.
Her case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports to be prepared.
At the sentencing hearing Robert Jakes, defending, said: "She is articulate and intelligent and knows how low she has fallen."
He said his client had been through drug programmes before and knew them inside out.
However, he added: She now has stable accommodation and it is her inten tion to detox by herself."
A probation officer's report suggested a conditional discharge instead of punishment but magistrates nodded when Mr Jakes conceded: "That is not a realistic option - and she acknowledges that."
Instead, the court imposed an 18 weeks jail sentence, suspended for 12 months.
In addition Ms Leonard was made subject to a seven-day-a-week, six-month-long curfew order between 7pm and 7am, enforced by an electronic tag.
In addition she was required to pay £85 costs and £150 in compensation to her victim.
