A MOTHER of three, who went on an organised thieving expedition, piling video recorders into an Asda trolley, has gone to jail for six months.

Beverley Smith, 30, made the trip to the Accrington branch with two accomplices and a judge told her stores must be fed up of people like her and her friends. Judge Raymond Bennett added the defendant had struck twice since and was a persistent offender.

Smith, a former heroin addict, of Belgrave Road, Colne, admitted theft, at Burnley Crown Court.

Chris Godfrey, prosecuting, said the person monitoring the shop CCTV, saw a male pushing a trolley full of goods, including two video recorders. Smith was helping and the man simply left the store without paying.

Other staff members were alerted, the duo went to a car and the man put the property inside and drove off. Smith was left in the car park. A shopper pulled out in the front of the vehicle causing it to stop. Smith got in, but a short time later tried to hand a video recorder back to a staff member, saying "here, stuff it." All three were arrested not long afterwards.

Kevin Donnelly, defending, said the offence was clearly not spontaneous. It involved a degree of premeditation and organisation and the defendant was a willing and effective contributor.

Smith had been a drug addict in recent years, but had now been drug-free for four months. Her health was still causing problems and she had suffered heavily from depression, as did many people who came off drugs.

She took substantial quantities of anti-depressants every day.

Mr Donnelly said Smith now lived in Colne with two of her children and her mother, who was seriously ill. She had purposely moved away from her associates in Burnley, knew her responsibilities and took them seriously.

He went on: "She shoplifts and she goes on shoplifting. That seems to continue regardless of the sentences imposed by the courts. I ask the court to bear in mind the progress she has made and her family situation."