Woman jailed for shoplifting

Thief was in breach of previous court orders

A KINGSCLERE woman is starting a 12-week prison sentence for a “persistent pattern of criminal behaviour and lack of response to court orders”.

Melanie Jayne Cook, 42, of South Road, was convicted at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on Thursday of seven counts of shoplifting, two counts of breach of supervision orders following release from prison and an offence while a community order was in place.

The shoplifting offences all occurred between December 26 last year and January 20 this year.

Three were carried out jointly with Rebekah Gillespie and included the theft of food and alcohol from Budgens in Kingsclere to the value of £45.18, food valued at £67.63 from McColls in Tadley and food worth £66.90 from One Stop Stores in Chineham.

The remaining four counts of theft were carried out with another, unnamed person.

Over three dates, Ms Cook stole a total of in excess of £373.59-worth of food and alcohol from Asda in Basingstoke and a further £150-worth of food from Sainsbury’s, also in Basingstoke.

Ms Cook pleaded guilty on Thursday to the shoplifting and the further charge of conviction of an offence while a community order was in force.

The defendant also admitted she had breached supervision requirements on two counts, which included failing to keep in touch with her supervising officer and failing to attend a number of supervision appointments.

This supervision order followed release from a period of imprisonment and was imposed by Hampshire Magistrates Courts on November 14 2017.

Ms Cook was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison due to “the persistent pattern of criminal behaviour and lack of response to court orders”.

In addition, she was made to pay a victim surcharge of £115 to One Stop in Chineham.