A SHOPLIFTER urged police not to arrest her and said "You can't lock me up it was only a bun and a sandwich" after she was caught stealing food worth almost £7 from a Barrow off-licence.

Jennifer Stewart, 31, of Jarrow Street, Barrow, pleaded guilty to theft after stealing £6.59 worth of food from Batty's off-licence in Rawlinson Street.

Mr Lee Dacre, prosecuting, told the court how Stewart entered the off-licence on September 12 at 6.20pm and placed a number of items in a carrier bag before leaving the store without paying for them.

She was later arrested by police after CCTV footage revealed her identity but pleaded with officers for them to not arrest her as she said: "You can't lock me up. It was only a bun and a sandwich."

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At the police station she told officers that she had drunk alcohol prior to the theft and couldn't remember what she had done. Mr Dacre added that Stewart has 21 previous convictions for 34 offences spanning 17 years with 16 of those being for theft and dishonesty.

Mr Trystan Roberts, defending, told the court that his client had tried to make amends for her crime by going back to the store the next day and apologising for what she had done.

He said: "She accepts that she has done it and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

"The following day she went into Batty's to apologise for her behaviour and offered compensation for the items taken so she did attempt to make amends for the situation. She has not been in trouble for nine months and on her part there has been an attempt to remain offence free.

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"At the time of the incident, she had been evicted from her home. She is on medication for her bipolar and is not able to do unpaid work because of her mental health."

Stewart also pleaded guilty for failing to surrender to the court on September 20 without reasonable excuse.

Presiding magistrate Mrs Catherine Alexander ordered Stewart to pay a fine of £60 for the theft and £30 for failing to surrender. She was also made to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £35.