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| Stock photo of magistrate's court |
A Chattingham woman who stole more than £500 worth of alcohol from Waitrose claimed she was desperate for cash because her benefits weren’t enough to feed and clothe her six children.
Mandy Gormless, who had twice been spared punishment for previous shoplifting
offences, swiped expensive high-end spirits during three separate raids at the posh retailer’s Chattingham store.
The 22-year-old told magistrates she had been forced to turn to crime as her
benefits money did not stretch to looking after her booze, fags and socialising
as well as looking after her children.
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| Mandy Gormless: stole booze |
Solicitor Sally Righteous, who said her client only drinks lager, told the bench: “She took bottles of brandy and whisky to sell them to get some money.”
“Someone suggested to her it that is was easier to nick bottles of spirits to sell on, rather than bulky cans of lager to drink herself”.
“My client also has a junk food addition and repeatedly suffers from PTSD.”
The court was told Ms. Gormless first stole from the store on October 23 last year, leaving with £200’s worth of alcohol concealed in bags.
Three days later she made off with a haul worth £250, and the following day was back again to snatch more booze totalling £120.
She was identified and caught after being spotted on CCTV.
Karl Knacker, prosecuting, told the bench Ms. Gormless had already been given a caution for shoplifting in 2017, and later the same year committed a similar offence and found herself in the dock. However, she was again spared punishment, leaving the court with a 12-month conditional discharge.
But magistrates this month were just as lenient, despite telling Ms. Gormless her financial and personal difficulties gave her no right to steal.
They ordered her to pay Waitrose £550 compensation for the stolen alcohol, which was never recovered. Gormless agreed to pay the money back at £20 a month.
She must also attend 25 rehabilitation sessions with probation as part of a 12-month community order.
Afterwards, Ms. Gormless said, “Har har, I got away with it again. ‘Course, I won’t be paying any money back or goin’ to any stupid school classes, will I? So it’s down the pub to celebrate. Can you lend me twenty quid? I’ll pay you back with a couple of bottles of brandy right after I’ve been to Waitrose again…”
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Kent’s Greatest Prick Ever wrote:
I found this story rather shocking. I am indeed shocked to find out that
somewhere as revoltingly lower-class as Chattingham actually has a Waitrose. I
thought that Waitrose was supposed to be a more refined outlet and it is
disappointing to know that they have obviously lowered their standards to cater
for such a plebeian town as Chattingham.
👍+63
Chad Grunter wrote:
Looks like a typical self-entitled scrounging lazy La**
👍+157
