Horncastle woman forced to steal items to pay off debt

Emma Moore, 38, took bottles of alcohol and sets of headphones from a Tesco store in Skegness.

She pleaded guilty to theft on December 3, 2020, when she appeared before Boston Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (April 28).

Prosecutor Jim Clare said Moore had paid for some items at the self-service checkout but not the other items valued at £186.

He added: “As she was approached by security staff, some items fell to the floor.

“They saw a male that joined her within the store and she leaves with him.

“The police catch up with her and the rest of the items were recovered.”

David Eager, mitigating, said the man was not a friend but someone she was in debt to and he’d made her go to the store.

“This is a woman who had turned away from crime but was led back into it by an aggressive man on this occasion.

“She has kept away from that man now,” added the solicitor.

Moore, of Cromwell Avenue, was given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 costs and £22 victim surcharge.