Shoplifters: Shae Cadwallader and Alicia Stokes.

A 20-YEAR-OLD shoplifter from Haverfordwest was jailed by Magistrates on Tuesday (Jan 6). Alicia Stokes, of Fleming Crescent admitted four counts of shop lifting in a pre-Christmas spree, in which she stole items of clothing and household items from her local branches of Pound Stretcher, Peacocks, Morrisons and The Factory Shop.

However, these thefts put her in breach of a Crown Court community order, and the bench felt that prison was the only option. The chair of the bench said: “The record you have is absolutely appalling. We feel that we really need to protect the public. “We will send you to prison for sixteen weeks.” However, Stokes started to argue from behind the glass, which separated her from the court room. She said: “I don’t think you should send me to prison.

I’ve been really compliant with my probation officer and my solicitor told me that I wouldn’t be going to prison today.” Friends and supporters, including her boyfriend, Shae Cadwallader shouted from the gallery as she was taken down: “I love you babe.” Stokes’ defence solicitor, Mark Layton felt that there was one last chance to get his client out of the cells. He immediately, and hastily, drew up an appeal against the sentence, and ten minutes later she was brought back upstairs while this application was heard. Mr Layton said: “I can only make this application if I feel the sentence imposed has been mantifestively excessive.

“She has largely complied with the court order – I don’t know what a Crown Court judge would do. “The judge may say that Stokes has broken the order, but I would like her to be released on bail. She could report daily to Haverfordwest Police Station and could be ordered not to enter the shopping areas of Haverfordwest.” In response to the application for bail, prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones said: “I simply refer you to the record, she’s committed offence after offence. Also these offences were committed when subject to a Crown Court community order.

“The defendant has a history of committing offences on bail, therefore I would say bail is not appropriate.” Without hesitation, the chairman of the bench ruled out the application for bail, saying: “We are satisfied – the sentence is correct for the level of crime and therefore we are not granting bail.’

…but boyfriend spared prison

A SUSPENDED prison sentence was imposed on the boyfriend of Alicia Stokes, who went on a shopping spree to fund his legal high addiction at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (Jan 6). Shae Cadwallader, of Fleming Crescent, Haverfordwest, stole items with the intention to sell some on in order to buy a legal high known as Pyschlone Herbal Incense. Cadwallader was charged with four shoplifting offences and whilst he was in court, told the probation service that he was also in court at a later date for stealing this legal high and that was brought forward. He pleaded guilty to stealing a £38 bottle of aftershave from Wilkos on November 8, 2014, and admitted to stealing £477.50 worth of items from Debenhams, £69.49 worth of items from Boots and £24 worth of items from TK Maxx on December 17, 2014.

Cadwallader also pleaded guilty to stealing a legal high to the value of £30 from the All Sorts store in Haverfordwest on September 17, 2014. As part of the suspended sentence he was ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work and a thinking skills programme. The Magistrates also ordered compensation of £38 to be paid to Wilkos and £30 to All Sorts.He was also told to pay an £80 victim surcharge and £85 court costs. Prosecuting, Ellie Morgan said: “On November 8, a security guard was monitoring CCTV and this person noticed a couple acting suspiciously. “The male has selected the item from the shelf and put it in his pocket. No attempt was made to pay for the item.

The police were called and later when they spoke to him, he told them he had already sold the bottle on for £20. “On December 17 at 6.45pm police were dealing with an incident of shoplifting for another person when Cadwallader passed by holding a large carrier bag. “There were a large number of perfume bottles in it and he said he been given them by his mother to wrap up as Christmas presents. “That story turned out not to be true and he was arrested for theft. Officers also attended at the Debenhams, TK Maxx and Boots stores to inform them of the missing items. “At the third interview he finally accepted taking the items from the stores but doesn’t remember going into TK Maxx.

“He is sorry for what he has done”. The Magistrates asked for a report to be prepared but after he was let out Cadwallader returned home to pack a bag as he was worried he might be sent to prison. Probation Officer Julie Norman added: “I have raised with him the concerns about failing to attend on previous orders but he tells me that was when he was younger and he didn’t take responsibility for himself. “He has developed an issue with legal highs and because he can’t fund them has resorted to shoplifting to sell items in order to get money for the legal highs. He is concerned about it and he would benefit from assistance.

“He tells me he is willing to comply with a community order”. Ms Morgan produced the evidence for the theft of the legal high. She said: “On September 17, he went into the All Sorts shop in Quay Street to ask for the legal high. The assistant put it down on the counter and whilst his back was turned, Cadwallader picked it up and ran out of the store. The police were contacted and after his arrest he admitted the offence in his interview.” The Magistrates felt that this was a ‘planned spree to fund a habit’ and therefore issued a 12 week custodial sentence which will be suspended for 12 months. As part of the sentence he was ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work and a thinking skills programme. The Magistrates also ordered compensation of £38 to be paid to Wilkos and £30 to All Sorts, and was also told to pay an £80 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.