A CROSS-dresser stole a £2 top from a charity shop, telling police it was “criminal” how much staff charged for selling the clothing of dead people.

Kim Goode, who was born a man, admitted two charges of shoplifting and another for shouting abuse as she was led away in handcuffs by police.

Goode, aged 46, and a man were seen going into Somerfield supermarket in Angel Street, Worcester, on the morning of Saturday, April 10.

Store management, having already banned Goode and her accomplice on a previous occasion, asked them to leave but they began shouting and causing a scene.

“When the manager then told them he would call the police, they left telling the manager and a security guard ‘You’re racist’,” said Matt Dodson, prosecuting at Worcester Magistrates Court.

They went to Tesco Express, then Trinity newsagents, before entering Age Concern in Mealcheapen Street.

Mr Dodson said that police caught up with the pair while there and asked them to leave but Goode again starting shouting, saying: “You’re only picking on us because we’re cross-dressers.”

A search revealed a bottle of Croft sherry which had been stolen from Somerfield and she was arrested.

But she refused to go quietly and as she was walked towards a waiting police van by officers along a street packed with shoppers and families she said: “Everybody look at the gay officer carrying a woman’s handbag, doesn’t he look gay?”

She continued to be rowdy in the police van on the way to the city’s station and it was when she arrived there that a further search revealed she had stolen a vest top priced at £2 from the charity shop.

Mr Dodson said: “In interview she said it was criminal how much Age Concern charged for items taken from dead elderly people.”

Asked why she had been abusive to the arresting officer, she replied: “you deserve what I said for a picking on a poor elderly woman.”

Paul Stanley said his client had had “many issues during her life” telling the court her offending had “reduced significantly of late.”

Magistrates asked for reports to be prepared and bailed Goode for sentencing on Friday, May 21.