Woman excluded from Foyleside Shopping Centre gets suspended sentence

A woman who is excluded from entering Foyleside Shopping Centre in Derry has been given a suspended sentence at the local Magistrate's Court for a series of theft and shoplifting offences running into hundreds of pounds.

Teresa Stokes (36) of Edenmore Court in Derry admitted a series of offences that occurred over the years 2022 until 2024.

The court heard that on March 26 this year Stokes entered Iceland in Foyleside and was seen stealing Easter eggs valued at £49.

After she was apprehended it was discovered she had been banned from the Centre in October 2022.

The court also heard about an incident where Stokes and a male entered Tescos on September 10 2022 and stole goods valued at £156.

On October 30 2022 Stokes, another woman and a male entered Sainsburys separately and each had a trolley.

Stokes took goods valued at £384, the male stole £401 worth of goods while the other female took £296 worth.

Again on November 9 2022 Stokes and a male entered Sainsburys and she stole goods to the value of £280 and the male took goods valued at £262.

Defence counsel Stephen Chapman said that his client had spent a 'significant period in custody' since these offences were committed.

He said that rehabilitation seemed to be working in this case.

Deputy District Judge Noel Dunlop said that there appeared to be addiction issues which appeared to be getting addressed.

He imposed a sentence of 4 months in prison suspended for 3 years.