A prolific shoplifter has avoided jail after threatening off-duty police officers with a glass bottle as they tried to stop her stealing.
Over a seven month period, persistent pest Elaine Donald walked into stores on 15 separate occasions and helped herself to thousands of pounds worth of goods, including alcohol, laundry detergent and dog leads. A court heard that the 28-year-old targeted the Co-op, Tesco, Wilkos and Pets and Home, all in Gateshead, during her stealing spree between July 2022 and February this year.
On one occasion, Donald was caught in the act by off-duty police officers but, rather than hold her hands up and apologise, she turned aggressive. Newcastle Crown Court was told that the serial crook grabbed a bottle of booze, raised it above her head and threatened the constables before they managed to disarm her.
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Donald, of Glebe Rise, in Whickham, Gateshead, has now been given an 18-month community order, with 80 hours of unpaid work, and an eight-week curfew, where she must be inside her home between 10pm and 6am, after she admitted 15 shop thefts, two public order offences and one count of failing to surrender to custody. Passing sentence, Recorder Mark Giuliani said: "The most serious offence is the raising of the bottle at the officers.
"You may not have known they were officers but raising the bottle to a member of public trying to prevent someone from stealing from a local store is a very serious offence. You're a prolific shoplifter and you have committed a large amount of shoplifting offences from July 2022, for which you fall to be sentenced.
"For all those shoplifting offences, you entered grocery stores or convenience stores. You went into each store and stole items."
The court heard that Donald stole from the Co-op, in Whickham, on four occasions, Tesco, in Gateshead, on six occasions, Wilkos, also in Gateshead, on three occasions and Pets and Home twice. In total, £2,843.35-worth of stolen goods were never recovered.
Kate Barnes, prosecuting, said Donald was stopped by off-duty officers in the process of stealing £313.50-worth of booze from the Co-op on August 3 last year when she turned aggressive. Ms Barnes added: "She tried to walk away and took hold of one of the bottles and held it above her head and made threats towards the officers.
"One officer took hold of her arm and removed the bottle and she was detained and arrested. In interview, she admitted the theft but denied the threatening behaviour."
Richard Bloomfield, defending, said Donald had pleaded guilty to the offences and wanted to work with the Probation Service
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