A prolific York shop thief has been handed a conditional discharge for thefts committed less than a week after being made subject to a suspended sentence order for similar offences.
Michaela Allan, 34, of Robinson Court, Walmgate, admitted five offences of theft when she recently appeared at York Magistrates' Court.
Theft is an offence under section 1 of the Theft Act 1968. Shop theft of items under the value of £200 is dealt with as a summary offence, with the maximum sentence of 26 weeks' custody and/or an unlimited fine. We have previously written an article on the legalities surrounding theft.
Deputy District Judge John Spencer heard that the 34-year-old had been sentenced to 20 weeks' custody suspended for 12 months when she appeared before the same court on Wednesday, 5th November 2025.
She committed further thefts on 8th, 9th and 15th November whilst subject to the suspended sentence order. She also admitted thefts on 27th September and 3rd November, which pre-date it. The total value of goods taken was £281.05.
Craig Robertson, mitigating, told the court that his client, who has 151 previous convictions for theft, had just secured accommodation in a hostel.
"She has always lived on the street, she has always had a heroin addiction," he said.
Mr Robertson warned the court that Allan's accommodation would be at risk if she was given a custodial sentence.
DDJ Spencer, who clearly has a sense of humour, said: "I am going to give you probably your eighth or tenth chance.
"I am going to take an exceptional course because of the work you are doing with probation."
He warned the defendant that if she appeared back before him she would be going straight to prison.
Allan was made subject to a 12 month conditional discharge.
1 comment:
Any person with 151 previous convictions really ought to be out of circulation for a very long time.
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