A cocaine user shoplifted from Primark in Craigavon’s Rushmere Shopping Centre on the day she was given a suspended jail term for previous offending.
A defence barrister told Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday that Jenna Mary Clarke (37) re-offended “within an hour or two of coming out of this court”.
The defendant has admitted stealing £62 worth of clothing on September 26 this year.
A prosecutor said police received a report at 2pm that day of shoplifting.
The defence barrister said the defendant, with an address listed as Sydney Street West in Belfast, had worked until being made redundant during the Covid pandemic and she became addicted to drugs, which “destroyed her life” and she lost her home.
He said the defendant said ‘I have pressed the big red self-destruct button’ and he added that she is “still using cocaine”.
The barrister said any money she gets on benefits she spends on drugs and then she is stealing to either fund the drug habit or to get groceries “to try and keep herself, body and soul, together”.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said to re-offend on the day of getting a suspended sentence “makes a mockery” of the court.
He said the way to stop her committing further offences was to get her off her drug habit.
He said he would defer sentencing for four months and warned if there is further offending or she fails to engage with Community Addictions she faces five months in jail.
The case was adjourned to April 15.
