Chaos in Sunderland Asda after shoppers stop booze thief

Nadine Conley’s angry actions at Asda in Portsmouth Road on Saturday, July 11, were described by her own solicitor as “unsavoury”.

Conley, 27, of Westheath Avenue, Grangetown, lost her temper after shoppers stopped her from leaving with a trolley containing £90 of alcohol.

The store’s manager and another staff member intervened, leading Conley to start swearing, prosecutor Yetunde Alake told South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.

Mrs Alake said: “The defendant has gone into Asda and got a trolley and taken alcohol and tried to leave the shop, but was stopped by members of the public.

“The manager attended, and another member of staff, and the defendant became agitated.

“The manager states that she was swearing and that he was forced to evacuate families and children from the store. This aggravates the offence.”

Conley, who has seven previous convictions from 10 offences, admitted attempted theft.

Paul Hanratty, mitigating, told District Judge Zoe Passfield: “I think the best mitigation is that she has pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to a very unsavoury incident.

“She did herself no favours. She tried to get away with alcohol. She is a lady who is struggling with addiction to both drink and drugs.

“A community order is in place, she is complying, more or less. I wonder if today you will mark this offence with a fine and let the order continue as before?”

Judge Passfield sentenced Conley to a 12-month conditional discharge, with a £26 victim surcharge.

The judge told her she had been briefed by the Probation Service about the community order which she is subject to for a separate offence.

She added: “They’ve told me that you’ve attended quite a few appointments, but that there’s been hiccups on the order.

“You’ve also had three missed appointments on the order – there can’t be any more.”