Mansfield thief gets 14 weeks for stealing from TK Maxx and Debenhams

A Mansfield woman locked into a cycle of theft, prison, homelessness and drug abuse has been sent back to prison, a court heard.
TK Maxx, MansfieldTK Maxx, Mansfield
TK Maxx, Mansfield

Alison Banner stole Calvin Klein socks and an electric toothbrush, worth £159, from TK Maxx, on December 31, last year, said prosecutor Robert Carr.

She took £1107 of perfume, from Debenhams, on February 11, but was caught attempting to take £278 of the same sort of goods, when she returned four days later.

Banner missed a drugs test on February 22, and a court date on April 25.

Probation officer Lucy Harrison said this was Banner's third breach of post-sentence supervision, and she had been jailed twice for the others.

"She has missed 15 appointments and not attended at all since December," she added.

Chris Perry, mitigating, said: "Miss Banner has become entrenched in the cycle of shoplifting through the misuse of drugs and the loss of accommodation.

"The only things that's going to change that is her ability to address her drug problem."

He said she had the chance of new accommodation in Mansfield, and she had stopped using Class A drugs.

"Time will tell if that's successful," Mr Perry added. "Post sentence supervision can be a stick to beat people with when they're homeless and have drug problems.

"It presumes people will make a choice when receiving drug treatment."

Banner, 43, formerly of Cavendish Street, admitted the thefts and the breaches, when she appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Wednesday.

She received a total of 14 weeks in prison, and was ordered to pay a £115 government surcharge.

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