Sutton woman fell back into drugs and theft after ten years clean

Marie Sims was caught on CCTV stealing from Asda, on Priestic Road, in Sutton, on March 29.

“She has a long history of dishonesty but it appears to be curtailed from 2008,” said Ruth Snodin, prosecuting.

Debra Bell, mitigating, said Sims received a nine month prison sentence for shoplifting in 2008, and went into rehab for nearly a year.

She had been taking methadone “for a very long time” and had remained drug free, until her partner had his prescription stopped and he used half her dose, triggering a recent relapse into heroin use.

“She has been out of trouble for the best part of a decade,” said Miss Bell.

Sims, 41, of Beighton Street, admitted shop theft when she appeared before magistrates in Mansfield, on Wednesday.

She told the bench: “I don’t want to go down that route again.”

She was given a 12 month conditional discharge. She must also pay £50 compensation, with £85 court costs and a £30 victim surcharge.