A serial north-east shoplifter challenged by a sheriff to turn her life around is now “heading in the right direction”.
Kelly Booth struck at businesses across Aberdeenshire and Moray as she toured the north-east stealing more than £2,000 of goods.
Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane previously warned the 49-year-old, who has been in and out of prison, that she was “quite happy” to send her back behind bars if she continued to steal.
But first, she gave her a chance to “make changes” and prove she can stay off drugs and on the straight and narrow.
Now, Booth has returned to the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, where her lawyer Lisa Reilly confirmed she was now engaging with support and was “heading in the right direction”.
‘Promising’ improvement
Sheriff Kevin Duffy told Booth: “I’ve read the report and it sounds promising.
“In light of that improvement, I’m minded to accept the recommendation and make you subject to a supervision requirement.”
He ordered Booth, of North Anderson Drive, Aberdeen, to be supervised for 18 months.
At an earlier hearing, fiscal depute Brooklyn Shaw took Aberdeen Sheriff Court through the values of the items stolen in each offence.
On January 9 Booth targeted Tesco in Fraserburgh and stole £900 worth of alcohol and household items.
Next came a spree of offences over a few days at the end of May and into June.
On May 27, Booth stole a £500 saw from Highland Industrial Supplies in Elgin.
Then on May 29 she helped herself to £276 of alcohol from The Whisky Shop in Inverurie.
‘You’re in and out of prison all the time’
Two days later on May 31 she struck at George Strachan Ltd in Aboyne, stealing alcohol worth £165.
And on the same day she took £175 of booze from Caledonian Collectables in Ballater.
Finally, on June 1, alcohol was again the targeted as Booth stole £380 worth of it from Marks & Spencer in Elgin.
Across all offences, Booth stole £2,396 worth of goods.
She admitted six charges of theft by shoplifting.
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