An Armagh woman who stole items from a store after confusion at the checkout which she put down to a mental health condition has been given an absolute discharge.
A district judge warned the 49-year-old: “You have to be very careful because you do not want to be sitting here again.”
Jayne Anthony, of Lisanally Gardens, pleaded guilty to theft at the city’s Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
Court heard that on June 29, the defendant was seen going into Emerson’s supermarket; whilst at the self-checkout, she scanned around half of the times in her trolley.
Anthony then left the store. She was approached as she was leaving her trolley back and paid for the items which had been stolen, approximately £32.94.
The defendant stated that she had gotten confused and was not sure what had happened.
She explained that she had a mental health condition which often left her forgetting what she is doing.
District Judge Peter Magill stated: “I have two medical reports, which claim you have a number of difficulties and take a number of medications.
“In one of these, your doctor says it is not inconceivable that you simply forgot to pay for these items.”
He told Anthony: “This is your first conviction, you are given full credit for your plea of guilty and these are extreme circumstance given your health problems and medication.
“It seems you were somewhat confused on that day and so I am going to deal with this in a certain way.”
The defendant was handed an absolute discharge for the offence.
District Judge Magill warned Anthony: “You have to be very careful because you do not want to be sitting here again.”
