Newbury woman sentenced for spate of thefts

Suspended jail term for two-month crime wave

A NEWBURY woman has been handed a suspended jail sentence after a two-month thieving spree.

Between May and June, 37-year-old Laura Emery, of Crawford Place, stole money from tip jar at a bar in Market Place, Newbury, and also a wallet during a church choir rehearsal in Oxford.

She also stole a number of other purses and used victims’ contactless card numerous times to purchase scratch cards and tobacco at different locations in Newbury.

Ms Emery was convicted at Slough Magistrates’ Court on July 13 to three counts of receiving stolen goods, three counts of theft and three counts of fraud.

She was given sentences of 10 weeks’ imprisonment plus 16 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months at Reading Magistrates’ Court on July 15.

Investigating officer Pc Lisa Hill said: “This was a good result after a lot of work to prove this was a series of offences carried out by one person.”