AN EXOTIC dancer has appeared in court after twice making off without paying taxi drivers.

Appearing from custody at North East Wales Magistrates’ Court, Jordan Nicole Davis, was arrested after she failed to appear in court on July 3 to answer two charges of making off without payment, one of assault and one of theft.

Justin Espie, prosecuting, said Davis, of no fixed abode, but formerly of Coed Aben, Wrexham, had ordered a taxi on January 25 to take her from Oswestry to Dudleston Heath, near Ellesmere, but had then directed it to an address in Wrexham.

The fare had come to £29.50, but Davis claimed she had money and then lied when she told the male driver she would get it for him as soon as she got in the house.

On February 15, Davis, 24, got another taxi to take her to an address in Wrexham and again failed to pay the fare of £8 despite asking the driver to come back in 30 minutes.

Mr Espie said that on this occasion she had left her handbag on the taxi’s passenger seat and when she came out to give it the driver, Susan Williams, had refused to give it to her whereupon she had tried to grab it off Ms Williams by twisting her fingers back.

On April 30, Davis was caught attempting to leave the Wrexham branch of Asda with a trolley full of shopping worth £298.48 with the items all being recovered.

Pleading guilty to all charges, a probation report said Davis had “limited insight into the impact of her crimes” and could offer little explanation as to why she committed the offences.

The report revealed the mother of one was born and raised in Wrexham and had recently experienced the break up of a seven year relationship which had left her homeless. She was qualified to work with horses and had attended college, but now worked as an exotic dancer in Liverpool.

Bethan Jones, defending, said Davis had been in custody since 2pm the previous afternoon and had found it “an unpleasant experience”. “Her life is a little chaotic,” added Ms Jones.

Chair of the bench, Penny Rodgers, imposed a 12 month community order with a 15 day rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) and ordered Davis to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

She will also pay £29.50 compensation to the first driver and £50 to the second driver as well as court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £35.