A woman who stole cans of San Miguel lager from a Sainsbury's store in Newcastle has said she cannot remember committing the theft. Shannon Whittaker took £60 worth of alcohol from the shop on Falconar Street in Shieldfield on July 10.
Court hearing and guilty plea
On Wednesday, Whittaker appeared at Newcastle Magistrates' Court facing a charge of theft from a shop. The 27-year-old pleaded guilty to the single charge at the morning hearing.
Jasmine Dodd, prosecuting, said: "The defendant entered the shop with a male and picked up cans of San Miguel lager and carried them out of the store." The court was told Whittaker had seven previous convictions for nine offences.
Defence and sentencing
Miss Dodd added that there was a "degree of planning" in the theft. The court was told that Whittaker, of no fixed address, already owes £3,548.31 to the courts.
Amy Lamb, defending, asked for credit for her early guilty plea and told the magistrates Whittaker "struggles with alcoholism". She said: "She can't remember [the offence] but fully accepts it."
Ms Lamb said that Whittaker is currently on benefits and that her addiction "is not an easy fix". She added that the offence was a "low level shop theft".
After ordering a pre-sentence report, the magistrates sentenced Whittaker to a community order and a 10 day rehabilitation requirement.
