Shoplifter banned from all shops in Rother and Hastings

Joanne Latter, 25, has stolen thousands of pounds worth of goods from shops, including on one occasion an entire supermarket trolley containing more 400 of items from an Eastbourne supermarket.

But Latter, who is addicted to cocaine, is as much a victim as the shops she steals from a court heard last week.

Latter, of Park Road, Bexhill has been jailed five times for shoplifting.

She pleaded guilty to a string of thefts when she appeared at Hastings Magistrates Court.

Latter was charged with stealing 170 of goods from Lloyds Pharmacy, in Battle Road, Hastings, by hiding them in a pushchair.

The theft was committed while she was on bail for other theft charges.

She asked for other recent thefts to be taken into consideration which included 31 of goods from the Co-op in Battle, 15 from the Spar in Bexhill, 180 from Tesco Express in Battle, 72 from Budgens in Battle and 128 from the Co-op in Cooden Beach.

Latter also admitted to stealing a trolley full of items from Asda valued at 423.

Mark Kateley, prosecuting, said: "On one occasion when she was challenged in the Co-op in Bexhill her coat was pulled off in a struggle and items found in the coat included a crack pipe.

"She admitted all the thefts when interviewed by police and said she had not intended to pay for any of the items.

"She has a lengthy record with 13 court appearances in the last four years for 23 thefts."

Ronan Crummy defending said: "She has served prison sentences at least five times.

"She is a young lady who has had a drugs problem since she was 18. She is not proud of her record. Or of being a drug addict.

"She did not choose this life. She got involved with an older man who was an addict and offender when she was at a very early age. He introduced her to drugs – her next door neighbour was a drugs dealer.

"I told her she is getting herself into a very serious situation.

"Her remorse at her situation is genuine. She doesn't want to be an addict.

"She is as much as victim as those she steals from. She has ruined her prospects.

"She has never been before the court for violence or causing a disturbance."

But probation officer Lee Whitmore said: "She is remorseful when in the dock, but very quickly fails to engage with programmes she is on after that.

"I do have reservations about her commitment."

Magistrates told her: "We are going to give you one last chance by not sending you to custody today but asking for pre-sentence reports from probation but you may still go to custody."

She was released on bail until Friday May 7 with strict conditions that she does not enter any retail premises in Hastings or Rother, that she observes a curfew between 9pm and 7am and is electronically tagged and that she reports daily to Bexhill police station.