Today we name five people who have appeared in court during the last week for shoplifting.

They were all charged with theft from a shop and received a wide range of sentences after appearing in Peterlee Magistrates' Court.

Pleas of guilty were entered in all the cases. 

Michael Gibson, 43, who is in HM Prison Holme House pleaded guilty to four counts of shop theft in County Durham. 

The 42-year-old committed thefts at Sainsbury's Store in Coundon, Gulf Esso Service Station and TK Maxx in Bishop Auckland, and Gulf in Parkhead.

The stolen items included Easter eggs, Red Bull drinks, cleaning products, and coats. The total value of stolen goods was £358.12. Gibson has been ordered to repay this sum in compensation.

He will serve a total of 21 days behind bars for each theft, due to the seriousness of the offences and previous convictions.

Ashwinder Kaur, 38, of Poplar Street, Stanley, County Durham, pleaded guilty to three counts of theft.

The incidents happened between January 1 and December 2 in 2024, involving Co-op Food, Esso Service Station, and Wm Morrison Supermarkets Limited.

Kaur was ordered to compensate these businesses £71, £40 and £20 respectively, part of the overall compensation totalling £300.

The court recognised five additional offences during the sentencing, consolidating them with the existing charges.

Kaur's conviction carries a £120 fine, a £48 surcharge, however, no order for costs.

Linda Dodsworth, 38, of The Lodge, Victoria Road, Darlington, admitted guilt to stealing coats, a handbag, and meat products from TKMax and Aldi stores, respectively, valued at a total of £871.61.

The thefts occurred between March 27 and April 4, 2024.

The court determined her actions demonstrated a 'flagrant disregard for people and their property.'

She was given a total custodial sentence of nine weeks, suspended for 12 months, due to a 'realistic prospect of rehabilitation.'

Dodsworth was also ordered to pay back the full value of the stolen items, amounting to £871.61.

No order for costs was made, with priority given to the compensation.

Naomi Burns, 33, of Duddon Close, Peterlee, admitted guilty to stealing various jackets and pairs of boots from New Look Limited.

The incidents logged between November 1 and November 21, 2023, all occurred at Peterlee and pertained to items totalling a worth of £301.98.  Burns was formally convicted on April 12, 2024.

The court ordered her to pay compensation to New Look Limited, amounting to the full value of the stolen items. In addition, a fine of £80 was also imposed for the theft on November 21. 

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James Reed, 64, of Tennyson Street, Sunderland, admitted stealing a Slater Vacuum cleaner valued at £79.99 from a Durham Range store on October 16, 2023. 

Reed was consequently handed a community order by the South Northumbria supervising court.

The order, which runs until April 22, 2025 includes non-residential drug rehabilitation, mental health treatment, and 20 days of rehabilitation activity, all under the Probation Service's direction.

On top of these orders, Reed was instructed to pay the Range store £79.99 in compensation.