A BLACKBURN woman stole a steak pie, a tin of spaghetti bolognaise and a tin of tomatoes so she could feed herself and her eight-year-old daughter, a court was told.
Blackburn magistrates heard that Linda Jackson, 37, had spent all her benefit money and had taken the items out of desperation. But Daniel King, defending, said the offence did not represent a return to the bad old days for his client, who is a reformed heroin addict.
Jackson, of Abraham Street, pleaded guilty to shoplifting and was given a conditional discharge by the magistrates who said they sympathised.
"It is not nice to be hungry, especially with a child, but you understand what you have done was wrong and you have apologised," said the chairman, adding there would be no order for costs. Mr King said the underlying issues used to be drug abuse.
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