A WOMAN turned to crime out of financial desperation after losing her job, a court heard.
Cerys Williams, of Ceiriog Road, Wrexham, pleaded guilty to stealing £20 of bedding from Matalan on Mount Street.
She was in breach of bail for another shoplifting offence at the time.
Justin Espie, prosecuting, said she walked into the store on February 6.
She simply snatched the item and left without paying, Mr Espie said.
Stephen Edwards, defending, said Williams’ plight was a “sad and tragic case” and “deserving of sympathy”. He said she was a single parent to two children and had worked for 14 years.
But she had suffered from acute depression and anxiety, he said.
“Although her employers tried to manage that, she first went on half pay and then pay stopped in the run up to Christmas.”
She had gone from someone who was used to having a “good income” to surviving on income support, he said. You would not expect a lady of her background to come before the courts,” he said. “This isn’t someone who, at 34, has just decided to become a criminal.
“She quite simply needed the bedding at home. She is not coping financially. She is clearly not a very good thief – it was very unsophisticated and she was caught almost immediately.”
Magistrates sentenced Williams to a six month community order.
She was asked to pay £20 compensation to Matalan and a £15 victim surcharge.