A woman has been jailed after she went on a shoplifting spree across the north-east following the death of her “dedicated and reliable” dog.
Sharon Baxter, 53, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted a series of theft charges at shops covering the length and breadth of the region.
Baxter pleaded guilty to more than a dozen charges related to shoplifting and assault of shopworkers.
She stole from 10 separate stores in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire – including a Tesco in Ellon five times.
Her solicitor told the court she had fallen back into drug addiction following the death of her beloved dog – who she “loved more than her man”.
Fiscal depute Andrew McMann told the court that Baxter managed to make off with more than £204 in food, household items, alcohol and perfume from Ellon’s Tesco on August 22 last year.
She also made off with more than £307 in booze from Aldi in Westhill on December 11 last year and a whopping £808 in food items, alcohol and homeware from Marks and Spencer in Aberdeen on June 10 this year.
Baxter’s light-fingered exploits netted her around £1,833 in stolen gear, with none of the items ever recovered.
A number of her offences also involved violence, including one incident where she pushed members of staff at a Poundstretcher on Great Northern Road, before striking one woman to her injury.
Mr McMann also told the court Baxter assaulted a staff member at a Co-op on Rosehill Drive by repeatedly striking her with her hand.
Baxter also acted aggressively towards staff when challenged for shoplifting at Marks and Spencer in Inverurie.
When asked to remove the stolen items from her bag, Baxter then threw them on the floor.
Baxter pleaded guilty to 15 charges related to shoplifting and three charges involving assault and behaving in an aggressive manner.
She was also on bail at the time of her numerous offences.
‘She loved the dog more than her man’
Defence agent Graham Morrison told the court that Baxter took “full responsibility” for her crimes.
He added: “The background is that her dog died, which was the most dedicated and reliable influence in her life.
“She told me that she loved the dog more than her man.
“However, she then takes refuge in crack cocaine.
“Ms Baxter realises that she will need to reset her life and start again.”
Sheriff Lesley Johnston told Baxter that she had a “long record” of previous convictions for dishonesty and noted that no financial recovery had been made from any of her crimes.
She added that Baxter had previously been given an opportunity to engage with non-custodial disposal but would not be sentenced “as if that order hadn’t been imposed”.
Sheriff Johnston sentenced Baxter, of Middlefield Terrace, Aberdeen, to a total of 10 months in prison.
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