Meat-stealing thief who assaulted detention worker in custody jailed
Thief appears in court after stealing meat from Sainsbury’s and assaulting a detention officer.
Stephanie Louise Batchelor, of no fixed address, entered guilty pleas at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on November 20 after being charged with shoplifting and assaulting an emergency worker.
The 29-year-old was stopped by security staff on November 19 at 8.30am at the Sainsbury’s store in Guildhall Walk, Portsmouth, after she pinched meat from the store.
As a result, Batchelor was arrested but while in custody she assaulted a detention officer, prompting a charge to appear at court the next day.
PC Phoebe Herringshaw from Portsmouth’s Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “Targeting shoplifters continues to be a major priority in the city and we are committed to getting justice for the businesses and employees that are affected.
“Shoplifting is not a victimless crime. For businesses, it can cause unbelievable financial damage, and for retail workers it can often mean having to face abuse and violence from the offenders. It’s also important to stress that we will not tolerate assaults on emergency workers, such as in this case where a detention officer was assaulted.”