Need for cheese almost lands Wakefield robber behind bars
A convicted robber who breached her suspended sentence by stealing blocks of cheese has narrowly avoided being locked up.
Gemma Batley was caught trying to take £21 worth from the Spar in Wakefield, Leeds Crown Court heard.
The 37-year-old appeared over a video link from HMP New Hall where she was being held on remand.
She was on an 18-month suspended sentence from July last year for robbing a man of £10 when she was working as a sex worker.
She had gone into the Wentworth Street Spar shop on January 18 this year with a friend.
Batley, who had been living at a hostel, admitted the theft, and breach of the suspended sentence.
Mitigating, Christopher Morton said there had been a “good level of compliance” on her suspended sentence until the theft.
He said: “She has made significant progress over a number of months.
“She is very upset that she has got herself in this position.
“She is at a loss to explain why she did it.”
The judge, Recorder Ella Anderson, opted not to activate Batley’s suspended sentence.
Instead, she fined her £20 and gave her five additional rehabilitation days to complete.