Judge slams 'sheer audacity' of woman who stole goods worth '£570' from Tesco

Margaret Axon (46), with an address at Brooke Park, Ballymena, took the goods from Tesco in Antrim town on April 2 in 2022.

Antrim Magistrates' Court, sitting in Ballymena, was told the defendant paid for a tub of custard costing 70 pence with a debit card but did not pay for '£570' worth of goods.

Enquiries were made about the transaction and the identify of the debit card owner was established.

Handing down a six months prison sentence, suspended for two years, District Judge Nigel Broderick told the defendant: "The aggravating feature here is the sheer audacity of your theft and the fact the goods were not recovered".

He warned her: "If you did this again you will go to prison".