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Friday 20 January 2023

Skipton Champagne Thief Jailed for Ramming Security Guard with Shopping Trolley

A Skipton champagne thief has been jailed for ramming a security guard with a shopping trolley as she made good her escape from a local supermarket.

Emma Fleming, 40, of Duckett Street, Skipton, admitted offences of theft and assault by beating when she appeared at Skipton Magistrates' Court on Friday, 18th November 2022.

Sentencing was adjourned for the preparation of a pre-sentence report and Fleming was granted unconditional bail until her sentencing hearing at the same court on Friday, 16th December 2022.

A warrant was issued for Fleming's arrest when she failed to appear on that occasion.

Having been apprehended by the police, she appeared in custody at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Court on Monday, 9th January 2023.

Magistrates heard that Fleming, who has numerous previous convictions for theft, attended Morrisons, Broughton Road, Skipton on Thursday, 3rd November 2022.

Security guard Sahban Younis observed her trying to conceal items within a trolley and followed her as she headed for the exit.

Mr Younis challenged Fleming and asked to look inside her bag, where he noticed two bottles of champagne with kitchen foil wrapped around the security tag on one of them. The bottles of Moet Rose Non Vintage (NT) Champagne and Moet Rose Chandon Champagne had a total cost of £98.

Nadine Clough, prosecuting at the first hearing, said: "The defendant kicked the trolley towards the security officer and it hit him in the testicles, causing him considerable pain. He said he had considered going to the hospital later that day because the pain was not subsiding."

Siobhan White, mitigating, told the court that Fleming, who was undergoing treatment for drug addiction, had missed an appointment to pick up her methadone prescription, which had subsequently been stopped.

Skip forward to 9th January 2023 and the bench dealing with Fleming's offences took a particularly dim view of her lack of co-operation with the probation service. 

They also noted her "flagrant disregard for people and their property", deeming her offences so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified in the circumstances.

Fleming was sentenced to 8 weeks' custody for assault by beating, to be served consecutively to 6 weeks' custody for theft, to be served consecutively to 2 weeks' custody for failing to surrender. The total custodial sentence is therefore one of 16 weeks.

She was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £158.

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