Adele Woollaston (23) appeared at Melton Magistrates' Court for sentencing on Thursday having previously admitted stealing two High School Musical dolls and a digital TV receiver from Argos and breaching an order banning her from entering any retail premises within Melton town centre.

Prosecutor Claire Palmer said a witness saw Woollaston and a man enter Argos with a child in a pushchair on July 23. The witness knew Woollaston was banned from that area of town and called the police.
Officers arrived just as the pair were about to leave the area. When they searched the pushchair they found the two dolls, worth £9.99 each, and the £19.99 Hitachi digital TV receiver.

Miss Palmer said: "The items were taken back into Argos. The store manager confirmed they hadn't been paid for. CCTV was viewed which showed the pair in the store.

"The defendant put the two dolls on top of the pushchair and left the store. The man had put the TV receiver in the lower part. Neither made any attempt to pay for the goods."

Miss Palmer added that Woollaston, of Burdetts Close, Great Dalby, had also been subject of a criminal anti-social behaviour order, imposed on March 27, banning her from entering any retail premises within an exclusion zone for three years – and Argos was in that zone.

Chris Swistak, defending, said Woollaston had made efforts to address her drug problem but the Crasbo had caused her difficulties in getting her methadone prescriptions.

He added: "She is disappointed to be before the court again and asks me to apologise on her behalf for her behaviour.

"It was a ridiculous offence. Argos has cameras, it's right in the middle of town and people know her. It's no surprise she was caught outside the store straight away.

"She isn't someone who is happy to be on drugs. She wants to get off them but appreciates it's not a straight-forward road. She is still young enough to have a decent future but things depend on her getting off drugs and getting her life in order."

Woollaston was sentenced to four months in custody. No costs were awarded.