Recovering addict jailed for shoplifting crimes in Skegness

Stacey Simons, of Alexandra Road, appeared at Boston magistrates’ Court and admitted three offences of shoplifting.

The court heard the crimes were committed in the town in January and February at Drapers, M&S and Aldi, involving cleaning products, fresh meat and whisky.

Magistrates heard that less than two months before these offences, Simons had been given a six-week suspended prison sentence for shoplifting, including numerous breaches of a community order.

Mitigating, Carrie Simpson asked the magistrates not to implement the suspended sentence order, claiming it would be ‘unjust to do so’.

“In the life of Stacey Simons, a recovering heroin addict, two months is a long time,” she said.

“She has now been in stable accommodation for two months and has been offered support and voluntary work.”

Ms Simpson said Simons had been put on a methadone prescription but it had taken her a while to settle down on it and she had stolen these items to sell and buy heroin.

She said there had been no offending for a month, ‘which is a long time for her’.

Barbara Newman for the Probation Service, said Simons was ‘not engaging well’ with the service ‘as she feels she is certain to be sent to prison’, adding that her attendance record had been ‘unacceptable’.

The magistrates told Simons they were activating the suspended sentence ‘in the light of your persistent offending and failure to engage with Probation’.

They activated the six weeks suspended sentence and added a further two weeks for the latest offences,making a total of eight weeks custody.

She was also ordered to pay a £115 victim surcharge on her release.