King's Lynn woman who made off with 11 shampoo bottles from Poundland store said she had been 'bullied' into shoplifting
CCTV operators helped trace a woman who had been “bullied” into shoplifting, a court heard.
Norma Shead, 38, was just two months into an eight-week suspended sentence order - imposed for theft - when she swiped shampoo worth £31 from Poundland in Lynn.
Town magistrates were told on Thursday that she put 11 bottles in a bag for life and made off, activating the store’s alarm.
Street Rangers were notified and found Shead, who handed over the bag but continued running.
“CCTV sees Miss Shead heading into North Lynn. She’s seen attempting to enter an address and is arrested,” said prosecutor Colette Harper.
Shead, of Panton Close, South Lynn, pleaded guilty to the July 22 theft and admitted breaching the suspended sentence order.
Solicitor George Sorrell said his client was trying to work with probation officers.
“Despite her obvious difficulties with alcohol, drugs and health, she is doing her best to co-operate.
“But you have to ask the question ‘why did you offend in this way?’
“Well, at the time she was associating with a group of people who bullied her and persuaded her to steal from this shop. She’s no longer sought their company – she’s deliberately avoided them.”
The bench said it was not activating the suspended sentence because there was a “realistic chance of rehabilitation” and because of a serious health matter for the defendant.
Shead was fined £40, ordered to pay £16 victim surcharge and the operational period of the suspended sentence was extended from 12 months to 18.
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