Thief stole in bid to get sent back to prison

Melanie Dyer, 50, had been released from prison two days before and found herself with no money and no home.

Prosecutor Mark Kateley said: "The defendant took a bottle of vodka and started drinking from a bottle of wine she had also taken.

"She then ate a Golden Syrup cake.

"She told a member of shop staff that she just wanted to get arrested by police."

The court heard Dyer has theft convictions dating back to the 1970s.

Dyer appeared before Hastings magistrates on Monday and pleaded guilty to one charge of theft.

Aiden Harvey, defending, said: "She got out of prison with nowhere to stay.

"On Saturday she was stopped by police and her car was impounded by officers saying it had been involved in crime in the last month.

"When she was released from prison she was told she would get a Giro cheque but did not.

"She then went to Eastbourne police station and asked to be arrested saying she had breached her licence conditions but she was thrown out.

"By Saturday she was really at a low ebb.

"She thought she had to do something to get the police out."

Magistrates gave Dyer a two-week prison sentence to run alongside her present one.