South Shields thief stole wine, meat, and chocolate from local shops just days after being freed from prison
An offender who committed a string of thefts from South Tyneside stores just days after being freed from prison has been put back behind bars.
Amanda Liddle, 40, of no fixed abode, failed to work with the Probation Service on her rehabilitation after her release and instead returned to crime. Between Tuesday, August 5, and Thursday, August 14, she targeted Morrisons four times and branches of Sainsbury’s and the Co-op twice each.
She made off with a total of £401 of stock from the South Shields outlets, money she has now been ordered to repay by a judge. And for her crimes, she was also imprisoned for 12 weeks, having pleaded guilty to her latest spree of eight thefts from shops.
South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court was told she stole wine and laundry products from a Co-op branch on August 5. On the same day, she pinched various items from Sainsbury’s and a day later, stole wine and laundry products from Morrisons.
Liddle then made off with chocolate and meat from the Co-op on Friday, August 8, and on Sunday, August 10, pinched hot food and chocolate from Morrisons. The next day, Liddle fled with two cans of Jack Daniel’s booze from Morrisons, and the same day, stole cooked meats from Sainsburys.
Her last theft was of three cans of Jack Daniel’s from Morrison, also in South Shields. Prosecutor Chike Anieto revealed Liddle has 25 previous convictions from 42 offences – and that none of the goods stolen were recovered.
She was released from prison on Thursday, July 24, and is on licence until December. David Forrester, defending, described Liddle as “vulnerable” and said she had been coerced into committing at least some of the offences.
Mr Forrester added: “I would suggest that an assessment should be done. Her mental health is relevant.” But District Judge Zoe Passfield instead went straight to sentencing and jailed Liddle for 12 weeks on all matters, with one consecutive and the others to run concurrently.
The judge told Liddle she had been jailed in March because magistrates felt there was no chance of rehabilitation. She said since her release, she had shown there was “still no possibility” of that.