Shoplifter admits stealing multiple packs of Lurpak butter from Northumberland supermarket

Joanna Monteith, 52, of Chibburn Avenue in Hadston, near Amble, pleaded guilty to three shoplifting offences when she appeared at Berwick Magistrates’ Court.

Magistrates heard the first offence took place on June 22 when the defendant walked out of the Asda store in Ashington without paying for a £12 pair of trousers. She was arrested and the items were recovered.

The court was then told that on August 19 the defendant was seen on CCTV taking goods from the Tesco store on Queen Street in Amble.

She was charged with taking 31 packs of Lurpak butter, 18 jars of coffee, eight packets of washing pods/liquids, eight chocolate pouches and four tubs of chocolates to the value of £450 – although the total was disputed by the defence.

Magistrates heard the third offence happened on September 7 when the defendant tried on waterproof coat valued at £290 in Jobsons on Bondgate Within in Alnwick and walked out of the shop without paying.

In mitigation, Graham Crouth said the difficult had committed the offences during a difficult period in her private life.

On the Amble offence, he said: “It is clear she has not taken all of those items. There was a second female in the store at the same time who was also taking items.

"The defendant had two shopping bags with her. There is no way she took 31 packs of Lurpak and 18 coffee jars so some of the items were also taken by another party.”

The defendant also apologised to the court for her late arrival after sleeping in.

Magistrates called for pre-sentence reports to be prepared by the probation service to include consideration of a community order sentence.

The case was adjourned until November 24 at Bedlington.