Lockdown breach charges dropped against two Fratton shoplifters

Poppy Cadman, 26, and Amy Mihell, 28, both of Sandringham Road, Fratton, admitted jointly stealing £70 worth of washing detergent and meat at Co-op in Southsea on April 8.

At Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court the next day Cadman was fined £120 with a £32 victim surcharge and was detained in court.

Mihell will be sentenced at a later date after admitting a public order offence on February 14 at Co-op in Elm Grove, Southsea.

But prosecutors withdrew a charge against each woman alleging they 'went to a shop with the intention to steal items' contrary to the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) 2020.

The lockdown breach charge related to Co-op in Albert Road next to Hunter Gatherer on April 8.

The law had been brought in to allow police to enforce the government lockdown, designed to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

In court the CPS withdrew charges as the law says a coronavirus offence should not be charged if it is alongside another offence, and would not change the sentence, a CPS Wessex statement said.

It added: ‘In this case, the defendants were charged with “low value” shop theft that carries up to a maximum of six months’ imprisonment, whereas the coronavirus offence under Regulations 6 and 9 is punishable only by way of a fine.

‘The crown prosecutor advocate was of the view that it unlikely that the coronavirus would make any difference to sentence because the defendants are likely to be sentenced to at least a community order for the shop theft alone, and therefore withdrew the charges.’

Hampshire police previously said the force is taking an approach of encouraging people breaching the restrictions to go home.

Mihell was bailed under a 3pm-9am curfew until May 14 when she will be sentenced.

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