Havant woman who stole almost £100 of flowers from garden centre to make a wreath learns her fate in court
Tina Harris stole the fake plants to make a wreath for her friend, the court heard.
A woman who stole close to £100 in a lightning-fast heist at a garden centre has been sentenced in court.
Tina Harris, from Monkwood Close in Havant, pleaded guilty at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court this morning (Tuesday, May 26) to one count of shoplifting. The offence, which took place in September last year, saw the 59-year-old steal £89.20 of artificial plants from Mud Island Garden Centre in Southwick Road, North Boarhunt.
The garden centre sells a variety of plants, including perennials, specimen plants and houseplants, as well as pottery and furniture.
The court was told by the Crown Prosecution Service that Harris went into the store with a friend, took the items she wanted, and walked out within a matter of minutes. The artificial flowers have since been recovered by police.
This conviction was also a breach of a previous conditional discharge, for a previous shoplifting offence.
From Harris’ solicitor, the court heard how the defendant wanted to use the flowers to make a wreath for her friend, who had been diagnosed with cancer. After being caught by police, she offered to return the flowers, and has written a letter to the garden centre to apologise.
Thanks to previous convictions, Harris is currently paying off more than £3,000 of fines and compensation orders from the court, with this latest offence being added to her total. The current court order sees £20 taken from her Universal Credit each month.
Sentencing, Deputy District Judge Roderick Hine said: “I am going to order the compensation of £89.20, and costs of £85. That’s a total of £174.20, which will be consolidated onto your already large account.
“We cannot get rid of compensation orders, but we can get rid of other stuff outstanding, otherwise you are never going to be able to get out of. A this rate, you’re going to be paying the court for the rest of your life.
“Compensation has to be paid, but other fines can be reconsidered.”
Harris will next appear in court on Tuesday, June 2, where her outstanding fees to the court will be re-examined.