Serial Greggs thief behind bars after targeting same Sunderland branch again
A serial Sunderland shoplifter has been put behind bars after stealing from a retailer whose stores she was banned from entering.
Toni Peel, 37, was remanded into custody after pleading guilty to stealing £26 of food from Greggs’ city centre Fawcett Street outlet on Saturday, October 24.
Just a day earlier, she had been granted bail by a court ahead of sentencing for 42 other thefts, mainly against the same firm, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard.
The only condition of that bail was that Peel, who is street homeless, steers clear of its shops, prosecutor Paul Anderson said.
Peel’s crime spree has taken such a turn that she is lined up to be one of the first offenders to be dealt with by the new Northumbria Women’s Intensive Supervision Court (ISC).
The ISC began operating at magistrates’ courts in South Tyneside and North Tyneside in early October and seeks to steer prolific offenders from the revolving door of prison.
It aims to do so by helping reduce drug use and problematic drinking and by increasing referrals to treatment programmes and other support.
Peel appeared before that court on October 23 and her case was adjourned to the ISC on Friday, November 20.
But the following day, she committed her latest crime in stealing crisps and other food for personal consumption.
Prosecutor Paul Anderson told magistrates they had several options available to them, including again adjourning and setting Peel free on bail to later attend the ISC.
Mr Anderson said that risked her committing more crimes, and conceded: “It’s a juggling act, really.”
Peel also admitted a charge of breaching her bail conditions by entering a Greggs store.
Annie Dixon, defending, asked magistrates to adjourn the hearing for Peel to be sentenced for all her offences at the ISC.
Miss Dixon said Peel had been street homeless for many months, suffered from mental health issues and stole only to feed herself.
Magistrates remanded Peel into custody on the grounds she would commit further offences.
John Lee, chair of the bench, told her that her case was one of the saddest they had heard in recent times.
Peel will be sentenced by the ISC on a new date of Wednesday, November 11, at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.