A woman was forced to steal from two stores when her benefits were stopped, a court heard.
Catherine Boland, 60, appeared before Kirklees magistrates yesterday.
She admitted stealing five bottles of spirits from the Huddersfield branch of Marks & Spencer and pleaded guilty to a later theft from a shop in Halifax.
Alex Bozman, prosecuting, said that the incident in Huddersfield town centre happened on June 21 when Boland walked into the New Street store, selected the bottles of drink and hid them in her handbag.
She was detained outside and the alcohol, worth £110, was recovered.
While Boland was on bail for this on July 10 when she stole from Boots in Market Street, Halifax.
Mike Sisson-Pell, mitigating, said that hid client had been diagnosed with dementia.
This meant that her benefit was due to change from Job Seeker’s Allowance to Employment and Support Allowance.
He said: “When you make a new claim for benefit the old claim ceases.
“For four weeks she had no money at all.
“She decided she didn’t want to starve and so she stole.”
Magistrates sentenced Boland, of Redcar Street in Halifax, to 20 weeks in prison.
