A HEROIN addict who targeted a Worcester shop during a shoplifting spree wants to teach children about the dangers of drugs - once she gets out of jail.

Stacey Stoten stole £259 of skincare products and electrical items from Boots in Worcester High Street.

But she says she wants to warn children of the dangers of heroin addiction so they do not make the same mistake.

The 37-year-old from Kidderminster, now in custody at HMP Eastwood Park, admitted theft from the Worcester shop when she was brought into the dock at Worcester Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Our sister paper, the Kidderminster Shuttle, reported how she stole champagne worth £224 from Sainsbury's as well as games, toys, candles and a TV.

She pleaded guilty to six counts of theft when she appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court in 2019 and was jailed for six weeks.

Liz Blacklock, prosecuting, said of the theft in Boots in Worcester: "Police were called as staff had seen Miss Stoten de-tagging electric toothbrushes, razors and also skincare products which were concealed in a bag.

"She was detained by staff before she left the store. Although she did try to leave without making any payment, she was detained."

The court heard that Stoten had 29 theft offences recorded against her between 2006 and 2020 including shoplifting convictions in 2019, receiving a custodial sentence for shoplifting in January last year.

In August 2020 she also received a conditional discharge for shoplifting. She was in breach of that conditional discharge by virtue of the theft from Worcester's Boots store.

No application was made for compensation because the goods stolen from Boots were recovered.

Miss Blacklock identified Stoten's previous convictions as an aggravating feature of the case.

John Rogers, defending, said Stoten's record 'shows the offending of someone that has a class A heroin addiction'.

"This offence was committed to fund that addiction" he said.

Mr Rogers said that shortly before the conditional discharge was imposed she had managed to get herself a stable methadone script and had accommodation and that 'things were beginning to sort themselves out in her life'.

He said the mother had missed appointments with her drug worker and began using unlawful drugs again but she was now back on a methadone script.

"I have never seen her look so healthy or talk so well as she has done today. When she comes out of prison she would like to get involved in some kind of community project in teaching children about drugs and the ill effects of them" said Mr Rogers.

Magistrates imposed a fine of £80, costs of £185 and a victim surcharge of £34.

However, as she was unable to pay they imposed a day in custody in lieu which will be treated as time served.

The bench decided to impose no separate penalty for breach of the conditional discharge because she had been so close to the end of that period when she committed the Boots offence.