Magistrates send Worcester Tesco and Co-op thief to jail for latest stealing spree

Magistrates told Leanne Croke-Loveridge the "only way" they could deal with her offending was with a custody sentence, particularly after being given a warning for stealing in April. 

During the hearing at Worcester Magistrates Court on Thursday, (August 11) Croke-Loveridge admitted seven thefts from shops, and two attempted thefts, as well as breaching a conditional discharge.

JAILED: Leanne Croke-Loveridge. Picture: West Mercia Police

Remus Mihailescu, prosecuting, said the 38-year-old had walked into the shops, including the Co-op in Ronkswood and Tesco in Warndon, offering no payment as she walked out with the items taken not recovered. 

During the thieving, which happened between March 4 and May 6, around £250 worth of items were taken. 

They included laundry products, meat, and bottles of detergent from Co-op, and seven bottles of washing up liquid from Tesco. 

The prosecutor said in the attempted thefts on March 26 and May 2, both of which took place at the Co-op in Ronkswood, Croke-Loveridge was challenged by a manager as she tried to steal packets of meat. 

COURT: Leanne Croke-Loveridge appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court (Image: Newsquest)

The prosecutor said: "You will have seen from her record a significant amount of previous convictions, 61 thefts in total."

Gary Harper, defending Croke-Loveridge, said: "She is realistic about her prospects today, she has brought a bag to go downstairs."

Mr Harper said the reason for her offending was a drug habit, and she had been engaging with specialists to get help for this. 

He asked for any jail sentence to be suspended, adding she was in a post-sentence supervision period and had been engaging with probation.

Magistrates tell prolific thief they had "little choice" but to jail her

Magistrates left the courtroom for 15 minutes of deliberation and on their return chairman of the bench, Susan Kitchener, announced they had decided to jail Croke-Loveridge for 16 weeks. 

The chairman said: "We have little choice.

"You were on a conditional discharge and ignored that. That's an aggravating factor."

READ MORE: Thief who stole from Waitrose to feed drug habit is taken to treatment centre

READ MORE: Woman 'bit' Worcester Tesco shop workers on shoplifting spree, court told

During sentencing Croke-Loveridge continually talked leading to the chairman having to stop mid-sentence, telling her: "Can you please not talk - it is important you listen".

Croke-Loveridge, who was also ordered to pay a total of £235 compensation, said "love you" to a man in the public gallery as she was taken down by dock officers.

Croke-Loveridge, of Newtown Road, Worcester, has appeared in the Worcester News a number of times, included in 2020 when she bit two supermarket workers as they tried to stop her shoplifting.