Serial thief took booze from Sainsbury's after slipping back into addiction

Self-confessed alcoholic Heather Mitchell had gone 6-7 weeks without drinking, and was “extremely proud of herself”, before she fell back into the grasps of her vice and returned to criminality.

The 37-year-old from Devizes, who has 37 previous convictions for theft, stole £35 of food and alcohol from Sainsbury’s in The Maltings, Salisbury, on June 13.

Prosecutor Kate Prince told Swindon Magistrates’ Court that Mitchell was seen entering the store just before 6pm, selected a basket of goods and made no attempt to pay.

“Security approached Ms Mitchell who was hanging around the store and the goods were seized,” she said.

Heather Mitchell. Photo: Facebook.

Representing the defendant, Richard Williams said that her last shoplifting offence was in September 2017, but she was subject to a community order for another offence.

“I understand she is still subject to the rehabilitation activity requirement days but has completed the alcohol abstinence requirements,” he said.

“The offences themselves for you today are straightforward, but complicated by her personal situation.

“She has found it very difficult to find accommodation, but she went down to a dry house, Julian House [in Salisbury], where she managed to completely abstain from alcohol for six or seven weeks.

“After a period of sobriety, she was tempted back to drinking and therefore she was not welcome to stay.

“Frankly she has been homeless, living in car parks and such like.

“She is determined to beat that particular vice,” Mr Williams said of the alcohol addiction. “I’m sure she can do it given the right circumstances.”

He said that Mitchell, of Bricksteed Avenue in Devizes, had “forgot” about her previous court hearing as she was homeless.

She pleaded guilty to shoplifting and failing to surrender in the court hearing on Wednesday (July 27).

Sentencing, chairman of the bench, Dr David Whetham, said: “It’s a substantial record, you know that.

“We’ve been trying to work out what we can do that will move things forward rather than pushing things off.

“We don’t want to punish you merely for the sake of punishing you, we want you to get out of this cycle.”

He revoked the previous community order, and imposed a new, 12-month community order that will contain 20 rehabilitation activity days.

Mitchell must also pay a £95 victim surcharge.

It will mean breach proceedings in the pipeline “will be gone”.