'˜Stressed' mother who stole £119 of groceries plans new life in Egypt

A STRESSED woman stole £119 worth of groceries from a supermarket, a court heard.

Tracy Gordon, 50, paid for £10 of items at Morrisons in Horndean but had stashed away her haul.

Shop workers spotted her in action and apprehended her – prompting an immediate admission.

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Portsmouth Magistrates’ court heard how Gordon, of Leominster Road, Paulsgrove, has a history of shoplifting but only when ‘stressed’.

Her mother had died before the theft on January 18, her lawyer said.

Gordon told Graham Hopley, mitigating: ‘I can’t explain why I do it.’

Magistrates yesterday imposed a community order with 7pm-7am curfew, ending on March 7.

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Mr Hopley asked for a short curfew in punishment as Gordon, who has four grown-up children, plans to start afresh in Egypt – with her flight booked for March 13.

‘She is already planning to move to Egypt,’ Mr Hopley said.

‘She’s going to Egypt for six months and will sort out a place to live.

‘It wasn’t her intention when she went into the store to steal.’

Gordon still has £1,600 in court fines and charges owing to the court.

Bailiffs are already on her case for £580 of the debt, the court heard.

Mr Hopley added: ‘She knows it was a very stupid thing to do.’