A woman cried and thanked magistrates as she was spared a prison sentence.
Elizabeth Hammersley, 23, cried at Colchester Magistrates' Court yesterday. She had admitted theft, failing to surrender and breaching a community rehabilitation order.
Magistrates were considering jailing her but decided on a drug treatment and testing order (DTTO) after hearing of her motivation to beat her addiction.
Hammersley put £14.50 of jewellery into a pram at Claire's Accessories, Clacton, on September 14, 2002, the court heard. She then failed to appear at court twice.
On April 11, 2003, she took alcohol, worth nearly £100, off the shelves at a Fiveways Co-op store in Clacton, left the shop without paying and again failed to appear at court.
Hammersley, formerly of St Mary's Road, Clacton, breached a community rehabilitation order imposed in December 2002 for a theft by failing to turn up for two appointments.
Lucy Osborn, mitigating, asked magistrates to give Hammersley, now of Elm Parade, Elm Park, Essex, one last chance as she was motivated to beat drugs. They imposed an 18-month DTTO.
Published Thursday, February 24, 2005
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