Two 'struggling' mums who stole up to £2,250 worth of toiletries from Boots said they sold the items on the black market to help them get through the cost-of-living crisis.
Kelly Rowlands and Stephanie Goulding shoplifted washing, cleaning and cosmetic products during two separate trips to the same branch of the retail chain, a court was told. The pair then planned to sell the stolen items.
The single parents said they were struggling financially due to soaring bills and lack of support from their children's fathers. Rowlands, 41, and Goulding, 34, were both charged after stalking the aisles of Boot's Southport branch within two months of each other.
The circumstances of their arrest or how they managed to get away with so many items was not disclosed. Both were spared jail despite having previous convictions for shoplifting.
Prosecutor Tanya Berridge-Burley told Sefton Magistrates' Court: "The first offence to take place was on the 25th of January in the community of Merseyside where the defendant stole goods from Boots the chemist amounting to approximately £1,800. Then on the 10th of March 2022 from the same venue, they stole toiletries to the value of £454.36.
"Initially, the defence disputed the amount of the value of £1,800 on the first charge but accepted the value of the second charge. The CPS maintained the women stole £1,800 worth of goods on the first occasion.''
In mitigation defence, Christopher Mantle said the women had pleaded guilty to stealing around £400 worth of goods on the first occasion they went out shoplifting. He said: "Both defendants said that they were struggling financially at the time when the cost-of-living was soaring through the roof.
"The defendants have to appreciate that whether they are struggling or not - and I'm sure the court will have some sympathy for them - the majority of people do not resort to offending. Both defendants are single parents, both have two dependent children and have none or little support from the children's fathers.
"Both defendants - and the fact that both have been out of trouble for a long period of time - both defendants would say that they were simply struggling. Both concede that they had gone out and entered the store with the purpose of taking the items to resell to deal with their financial difficulties."
Both Rowlands and Goulding - who are both from Halewood in Merseyside - admitted theft and were ordered to complete 12-month community orders. Neither were required to pay any compensation to Boots after they disputed the total value of goods stolen.
Both had previous shoplifting convictions, the court was told. Rowlands was also ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work and pay £180 in costs and a victim surcharge.
Goulding was also fined and ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge.
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