A NEWTON shoplifter with an 'appalling' record has again escaped a possible jail term.

A court was told that drugs and poor relationships drove the mum to become a persistent shoplifter.

Pamela Williams went from being almost unknown to the police in 2000, to getting herself banned from every Marks and Spencers store in the country.

The 37-year-old, from Weedon Avenue, now has a list of previous convictions described by a judge as 'appalling'.

She faced two more shoplifting offences in an appearance at Warrington Crown Court on Friday.

Williams, a plump woman dressed in a cream coat, had been spotted by a camera operator.

She was hiding bottles of drink in a bag in a trolley then covering it with flowers at Marks and Spencer at Gemini retail park.

She also stole a £487 television from an Asda in Rochdale.

Her crimes broke a variety of Community Rehabilitation Orders that had been imposed for her 20 previous shoplifting convictions.

Her defence barrister Mark Lebroq successfully argued that she should be put on a drug rehabilitation course.

He said: "The reason for her offending is two-fold.

"One reason is drugs, sadly, which is unusual for a woman in her 30s.

"The other is some very poor relationships. She has suffered at the hands of others."

Recorder John Jarman QC sentenced her to a 12-month Drug Rehabilitation Order and a 12-month Supervision Order.

She was also ordered to attend a course on understanding her offending.