A REPEAT offender who is banned from convenience stores across Warrington has been hauled back to court.

Helen Robinson was made the subject of a criminal behaviour order back in 2021 – aimed to limit the ability of prolific offenders from committing like offences.

The 49-year-old breached her order and stole from shops in the town on two separate occasions, but she has avoided being sent to prison.

She was subsequently charged with two counts each of theft from a shop and breach of a criminal behaviour order.

The defendant appeared before Warrington Magistrates’ Court where she pleaded guilty to all offences, with the court proceeding to sentence her.

Opening the case, Nicola Wynn Williams, prosecuting on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service, informed the court how both thefts occurred at the One Stop shop in Stockton Heath.

On May 7, she stole 10 Cadbury chocolate products and some Bold laundry gel from the Ellesmere Road store, with the items valued at £54 in total.

Robinson returned on May 22, when she helped herself to more laundry gel at a price on £7.

Her offending placed her in breach of a three-year criminal behaviour order imposed on her in June 2021 banning her from ‘secreting any item about her person’ before paying in any retail premises.

She also cannot ‘behave in a manner which causes harassment, alarm or distress or encourages and person to do so anywhere in Cheshire’.

Moreover, the order prohibits her from entering any McColl’s store in Warrington, as well as P&S Late Shop on Folly Lane in Bewsey

Robinson breached her order by twice secreting items in the One Stop shop.

Before sentencing, magistrates highlighted that her behaviour demonstrates a ‘clear, wilful and persistent failure’ to comply with her court order.

This merited a custodial sentence when paired with her poor history of previous offending.

However, taking her guilty pleas into account, as well as ‘strong’ mitigation put forward by her solicitor, her personal circumstances and mental health, magistrates did not make the jail term an immediate one.

Robinson, of Leonard Street in Stockton Heath, was sentenced to four weeks in prison suspended for 12 months.

She must also complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.