A SHOPLIFTER was given a conditional discharge by Skipton magistrates after they told her Covid had been difficult for everyone.

Angela Sheard, 44, admitted three thefts from the Co-op in Main Street, Cross Hills, two of which had been jointly carried out with one person, and the third with another. The combined value of the food taken was just less than £300, the court heard today (Friday).

In the earliest incident, she and a man had gone into the shop on April 11 and had stolen meat to the value of £75; on April 14, they had returned and taken £100 of goods, and on June 30, Sheard had gone into the store again, with a different person, and taken £120 of meat.

Sheard was picked up on the store’s CCTV cameras putting items into a bag and leaving without paying.

In mitigation, Keith Blackwell said Sheard had not been in court since 2018 and had made a successful attempt to stay out of trouble. Her partner had been in work, but had lost it due to the coronavirus pandemic, and she had struggled to get money to live, said Mr Blackwell.

Magistrates told Sheard, of Greystones Drive, Keighley, that they believed her recent offending had ‘been a blip’ and that everyone had been shocked by Covid.

The bench gave Sheard a three year conditional discharge, but warned her if she offended in that time, the three offences would be taken into account. She will also have to pay £148 compensation.