Farringdon woman with 133 convictions jailed after stealing from Boots

A Farringdon woman with over 100 criminal convictions has been put behind bars after she stole nicotine patches from Boots.

Kelly Steel targeted the shop in the Bridges, Sunderland, twice on July 3 and took over £300 worth of items designed to help people stop smoking.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 43-year-old, who has convictions for 133 offences on her record, was already barred from Boots under the city’s Shopwatch scheme and was on a suspended prison sentence at the time.

Steel, of Allendale Square, Farringdon, Sunderland pleaded guilty to theft.

She was sentenced to five months in jail.

The judge told Steel: “I accept you didn’t use or threaten violence but they didn’t know whether that was going to happen or not.”

The court heard Steel has suffered trauma during her life and turned to drugs but has family support.