A 20-YEAR-OLD woman who had stolen over £100 worth of clothes, food and nappies from an Enniskillen supermarket was apprehended after returning to the store later on the same day, Fermanagh Magistrates Court has heard.

Caroline O’Donnell, of Drumawill Gardens, Enniskillen, pleaded guilty to stealing groceries and clothing to the value of £101.52 or thereabouts from Asda and obstructing a police officer in the course of her duty on September 14, 2015.

The court heard that, at 11.40am, the defendant had entered Asda accompanied by two males.

She proceeded to fill her trolley with goods and went to the self-service checkout tills.

After scanning all the items and placing them in the bagging area, she put a bank card in the machine but did not enter her PIN number.

The defendant then placed the bags into her trolley and pushed it out of the store.

No receipt was produced and she did not appear to look for one, the court heard.

CCTV footage of the incident was viewed by security staff and the police were called.

Later on the same day, at around 4pm, security staff recognised O’Donnell, who was back in the store with one of the males from the earlier visit.

She was wearing some of the items that had been stolen on the previous occasion, the court heard.

When she was spoken to by police, the defendant claimed that her name was “Sarah O’Donnell”.

Her companion, meanwhile, said she was called “Sharon Murphy”.

O’Donnell eventually admitted her real name.

She told officers that she had intended to pay for the items and had had entered her PIN number, but that there had not been enough money in her account.

None of the items that were stolen were recovered, the court heard.

Defending solicitor, Myles McManus, told the court that his client was a mother of one small child and was pregnant with her second.

He urged the judge to take into account her clear record and guilty plea, adding that she had accepted responsibility when spoken to by the police.

The solicitor described the offence as a “foolish and unsophisticated attempt”, but deputy district judge, Neil Rafferty, disagreed with this assessment.

He said: “This is a really well-known method of shoplifting.”

When Mr McManus pointed out that the defendant had returned to the store later that day, Mr Rafferty replied: “That’s one of the defences.”

A Public Prosecution Service (PPS) representative told the court that there was no indication that the two men who were with O’Donnell had ever been apprehended.

Observing that the defendant had known what she was doing, the judge dismissed the claims that the offence was “unsophisticated”.

“It’s theft. It’s brazen theft,” Mr Rafferty said.

Taking her guilty pleas into account, the judge sentenced the defendant to two months in prison, which he then suspended for two years.

He also imposed a £101.52 compensation order and gave O’Donnell 26 weeks to pay.

For obstructing the police officer, the defendant received a 12-month conditional discharge.