Wearside woman jailed after crime spree at Lidl, B&M and more
A Wearside crack cocaine addict who used a bank card pinched from a car to book hotel rooms and go on a spending spree has been jailed for 16 weeks.
Mandy Hetherington, 35, of Dorset Street, Easington Lane, committed the acts of fraud on Tuesday, March 18, while in the grip of the drug, a court heard.
She used the card to book two hotel rooms and to buy cigarettes, alcohol and a £20 mobile phone top-up card - and to take a taxi ride.
Separately, she also carried out a string of thefts and smashed a pub’s window during a crime spree which began in July last year.
At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, she pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud by false representation.
Hetherington also admitted four counts of theft from a shop and one each of causing criminal damage and receiving stolen goods.
Prosecutor Emily Jo Willis said Hetherington committed the criminal damage by smashing a window at the Brewers Arms boozer in Front Street, Hetton-le Hole, on Saturday, July 27 last year.
It happened after Hetherington had engaged in a verbal spat with a staff member – and CCTV later caught her using a brick.
Her next offence was on Tuesday, August 27, when she pinched £15 of butter and other food from B&M in Newbottle Street, Houghton-le-Spring.
She returned to the same store on Thursday, October 3, and took £17 of detergent.
Her fourth and final theft was on Friday, March 28, when she made off with £55 of stock from Lidl in Mautland Square, also Newbottle.
The frauds saw Hetherington book a room at The Village Inn, Murton, and at a hotel in Sunderland.
On the same day, she also used the card to buy a £20 Vodafone top-up card, alcohol and cigarettes. and spend £10 on a taxi.
Ms Willis said: “The victim noticed that his vehicle was missing. Inside was his debit card.
“He had left the keys inside his property. A window was smashed, and the keys taken.
“He noticed a sale on his card of £20 to Vodafone at 2.14am, £9.81 on an Uber taxi at 2.57am and that other items had been purchased for £84.
“At 3.20am, there was a booking on booking.com of £58, and then one of £178.”
Chris Wilson, defending, said: “The motivation behind this is drugs. She had an addiction to crack cocaine.
“In her own words, she would have done anything to get that drug. She’s now substituted that for cannabis, still an illegal drug.
“I’m confident that Mandy can remain offence free.”
District Judge Zoe Passfield jailed Hetherington for eight concurrent weeks for each fraud and to the same for each theft.
The theft sentences will run consecutively to the fraud sentence.
The judge also jailed Hetherington for six concurrent weeks for handling stolen goods and she must pay £100 compensation for the criminal damage.
Hetherington's next shoplift was on Friday, March 14, when she stole £33 of laundry products and coffee from Home Bargains at Houghton Colliery Retail Park in Newbottle.