A woman stole from a supermarket after falling back into drugs following her release from prison.

Stacey McLaren pleaded guilty to the theft of goods worth more than £300 from Asda.

The 37-year-old was caught while two men who assisted in the theft fled from the security guard during the incident at the supermarket on Bradford Road, Brackenhall.

Her solicitor Mike Sisson-Pell said: “When she came out of prison she had nowhere to stay and the problem in cases like this is that people often go to where others are misusing drugs.

“There’s a danger that they will be reaffected with the drugs and reoffend and that’s what happened here.

“She was encouraged (by others) to go to Asda and she was left holding the baby.”

Kirklees Magistrates' Court, Huddersfield
Kirklees Magistrates' Court, Huddersfield

Magistrates heard that McLaren went to the store with two men on February 22.

They were witnessed passing goods including alcohol and electrical items to McLaren, of Riddings Road in Deighton, who then put these in her bag.

While they managed to flee, she was detained outside the store and the items were recovered.

Mr Sisson-Pell added that at the time she was yet to receive any benefits following her release from prison and stole as she needed money to buy food.

Kirklees Magistrates' Court in Huddersfield sentenced McClaren to 10 weeks in custody suspended for a year.

She has to comply with six months of drug rehabilitation and pay £20 victim surcharge.