Shop theft and retail crime sentencings – January 2025

The following people are among those who have been sentenced at Northampton Magistrates’ Court in January for shop theft or retail crime offences. Their cases have been featured because of either repeat offending and/or aggravating factors including associated violent or drug-related offending.

Northamptonshire Police is committed to delivering against the national Retail Crime Action Plan and we will continue to work alongside our retail business partners to reduce retail theft and offences against retail staff, while bringing more offenders to justice.

January 2

Mark Chambers, aged 36, of no fixed address, admitted one count of theft from a Northampton shop on January 1. Sentenced to a total of 12 weeks’ imprisonment and ordered to pay £40.80 compensation.

January 3

Jason Ribchester, aged 50, of Dorking Walk, Corby, admitted two counts of theft from a shop in Rushden on August 29 and 31. Ordered to pay £85 costs, £30 compensation and fined a total of £224.

David Caldwell, aged 45, of no fixed address, admitted one count of theft from a shop in Corby on June 23. Sentenced to 21 days’ imprisonment, ordered to pay £85 costs and £95 compensation.

January 4

Adrian Reed, aged 53, of no fixed address, admitted two counts of theft from shops in Wellingborough on September 29 and October 20. Sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay a total of £68 compensation.

Jessica Eastment, aged 33, of Kilnway, Wellingborough, admitted three counts of theft from shops in Wellingborough and Earls Barton on October 1, 3, and 19. Sentenced to a 12-month community order with rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days, ordered to pay £80 compensation and £85 costs.

Benjamin Smith, aged 35, of no fixed address, admitted three counts of theft from a BP service station on the A14 eastbound on December 17, 19 and 29. Sentenced to a total of 15 weeks’ imprisonment suspended for 12 months with rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 15 days and 200 hours of unpaid work. Ordered to pay a total of £700 compensation.

January 7

Jane Knox Hill, aged 40, of Stephenson Way, Corby, admitted one count of failing to comply with the requirements of a community order sentence imposed by magistrates on April 23 for two counts of theft from Corby shops in December 2023 and February 2024, one count of failing to appear at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on November 28, and nine counts of theft from shops in Stamford, Lincs, and Corby between July and December. The previous community order was revoked and Hill was sentenced to a total of 30 weeks’ imprisonment.

January 9

Carlene Crabtree, aged 32, of Eastbrook, Corby, admitted one count of theft from a shop in Wellingborough on October 5. Ordered to pay £85 costs, £60 compensation and £120 fine.

Jack Gavan, aged 27, of Grange Road, Northampton, admitted 16 counts of theft from a shop and one count of attempted theft, all at the same Rushden shop, between September 16 and January 1, one count of failing to appear at court on October 21, and failing to comply with the supervision requirements imposed following a previous conviction. Sentenced to a total of 52 weeks’ imprisonment, ordered to pay a total of £170 costs and £805.50 compensation.

Kelechi Chukwu, aged 42, of Witan Gate East, Milton Keynes, admitted one count of theft from a Rushden shop on December 5. Ordered to pay £85 costs, victim surcharge of £69 and fined £173.

January 10

Samantha Riley, aged 32, of Scotter Walk, Corby, admitted one count of theft from a shop in Corby on November 12. Sentenced to a 24-month conditional discharge, ordered to pay £85 costs and £23.59 compensation.

Lee Mitchell, aged 38, of Scotter Walk, Corby, admitted one count of theft from a shop in Corby on November 12. Sentenced to a 24-month conditional discharge, ordered to pay £23.59 compensation.

January 13

Stephanie Goudie, aged 38, of Moor Road, Rushden, admitted three counts of theft from Rushden shops on November 6, 8 and 22. Sentenced to a 12-month community order with 50 hours unpaid work requirement, ordered to pay a total of £215 compensation.

Sam Wilson, aged 34, of Dovedale Road, Corby, admitted one count of theft from a Corby shop on December 10. Sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 costs and £26 victim surcharge.

January 14

Adam Crampton, aged 31, of Knights Court, Wellingborough, admitted 12 counts of theft from Wellingborough shops between August and November, one count of assault by beating on November 28 in Wellingborough and one count of possession of a Class B drug (cannabis) on December 22 in Kettering. Sentenced to a total of 42 weeks’ imprisonment and ordered to pay a total of £920.20 compensation.

January 15

Tesla Streets, aged 35, of no fixed address, admitted three counts of theft from shops in Wellingborough in November and December. Sentenced to a total of 18 weeks’ imprisonment.

January 16

James Stiley, aged 35, of Clarke Road, Northampton, admitted 21 counts of theft from shops in Northampton in November, December and January. Sentenced to a total of 50 weeks’ imprisonment and ordered to pay a total of £885.28 compensation.

Christopher Smith, aged 37, of no fixed address, admitted one count of theft from a Northampton shop on January 15. Sentenced to four weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay £85 costs.

Jason Brittain, aged 43, previously of Northampton, admitted three counts of theft from Northampton shops in February 2024. Sentenced to a total of 36 weeks’ imprisonment, ordered to pay a total of £170 costs and compensation totalling £596.

January 20

Lee Smith, aged 42, of no fixed address, admitted one count of theft from a shop in Northampton on January 8, and one count of breach of a criminal behaviour order in Northampton on January 19. Sentenced to a total of 14 weeks’ imprisonment.

Hugo Calado, aged 44, of Campbell Street, Northampton, admitted one count of theft from a Northampton shop on April 29, one count of assault by beating on the same date, and failing to appear in court on October 3. Sentenced to a 12-month community order with rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 30 days, ordered to pay £325 costs, £48 victim surcharge, compensation of £50 and fined £120.

Robert Regan, aged 34, of Holyrood Road, Northampton, admitted one count of theft from a Northampton shop on June 12, and one count of using threatening/abusive words/behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress in Northampton on August 25. Ordered to pay £85 costs, £48 victim surcharge, £48 compensation and a total of £120 in fines.

January 21

Charlene Howard, aged 37, of Kennet Close, Wellingborough, admitted 12 counts of theft from shops in Wellingborough, Kettering and Market Harborough between August and January, one count of attempted theft from a shop in Kettering on October 21, and two counts of failing to appear at court on November 6 and January 10. Also found guilty of four counts of theft from shops in Wellingborough in July. Sentenced to a total of 45 weeks’ imprisonment.

Patrick Keenan, aged 40, of Melbourne Park, Northampton, admitted four counts of theft from shops in Northampton in December and January, one count of attempted theft from a shop on January 19, and one count of using threatening/abusive/insulting words/behaviour to cause harassment/alarm/distress on January 18. Sentenced to a total of 21 weeks’ imprisonment and ordered to pay £28 compensation.

Michelle Hillyer, aged 42, of Barnes Close, Kettering, admitted one count of theft from a Kettering shop on December 14, and one count of assault by beating in relation to the same incident. Sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £50 compensation.

January 22

Gemma Hefford, aged 39, of Mendip Way, Corby, admitted three counts of failing to appear in court on September 12 and 24, and January 6, and three counts of theft from Northampton shops in July and August. Sentenced to a 12-month community order with rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days and 80 hours of unpaid work. Ordered to pay compensation of £42.50, £85 costs and £114 victim surcharge.

Tatenda Jirrie, aged 44, of no fixed address, admitted five counts of theft from Northampton shops in December and January. Sentenced to a total of two weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay £85 costs and £85 compensation.

January 23

Clarke Russell Grant, aged 46, of no fixed address, admitted one count of failing to comply with the terms of a community order imposed on November 11 for two counts of theft from a shop and one count of assault by beating. Sentenced to a total of six weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for six months.

Yvonne West, aged 55, of Abingdon Avenue, Northampton, admitted one count of theft from a Rushden shop on November 6. Given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £50 compensation.

January 24

Jason Whalley, aged 53, of no fixed address, admitted four counts of theft from Daventry shops in November, December and January, one count of being drunk and disorderly in a public place, and one count of failing to appear at court on January 21. Sentenced to a community order with six-month treatment course and rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days, ordered to pay a total of £47 compensation.

Rebecca Roberts, aged 40, of no fixed address, admitted one count of theft from a Northampton shop on November 3. Ordered to pay £85 costs, £6 victim surcharge, £5.50 compensation and £16 fine.

Zack Mathewman, aged 30, of Grangeway, Rushden, admitted two counts of theft from a shop in Rushden on November 23. Fined a total of £80, ordered to pay £85 costs, and £15 compensation.

January 27

Linda Strain, aged 49, of Bonington Walk, Corby, admitted two counts of theft from a Corby shop on December 3 and 30. Sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £217 compensation.

January 28

Mark Forward, aged 40, of Bouverie Walk, Northampton, admitted three counts of theft from a Northampton shop on December 21 and 30, and January 9. Given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay a total of £80 compensation, £85 costs, £26 victim surcharge.

Krystal Edwards, aged 35, of The Mounts, Northampton, admitted theft from a Northampton shop on December 30, criminal damage to a Northampton shop on January 18, and failure to appear at court on January 24. Also found guilty of assault by beating, possession of a Class A drug (crack cocaine), and two counts of criminal damage to cars, all on July 7. Sentenced to a total of 22 weeks’ imprisonment, ordered to pay a total of £736.75 compensation. A forfeiture and destruction order was made for the drugs.

Matthew Wallinger, aged 38, of Grafton Street, Northampton, admitted seven counts of thefts from shops in Northampton and Duston in September and October, and two counts of failing to appear in court on October 6 and January 22. Sentenced to a total of 20 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, with rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 25 days and 100 hours unpaid work. Ordered to pay a total of £170 costs and a total of £310.20 compensation.

Lyndsay Melville, aged 37, of Leighton Road, Corby, admitted one count of theft from a Corby shop on November 6. Given a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 costs and £26 victim surcharge.

January 29

Ann Joyce, aged 33, of Dunlop Close, Corby, admitted one count of theft from a shop on October 25. Given a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £500 costs and £100 compensation.

Vincent Israel, aged 36, of Dumble Close, Corby, admitted three counts of theft from Corby shops on November 21 and 30, and January 28. Sentenced to a total of six weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay a total of £120 compensation.

January 30

Sheree Epstein, aged 42, of Irthlingborough Road, Finedon, admitted 13 counts of theft from shops in Wellingborough and Finedon between June and December, and one count of failing to appear in court on September 28. Sentenced to a 12-month community order with six-month drug rehabilitation requirement and rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 25 days, ordered to pay a total of £1,073.05 compensation.

Joanna Taylor, aged 41, of Stephenson Way, Corby, admitted two counts of theft from shops in Corby and Kettering on October 16 and November 7. Ordered to pay a total of £375 compensation.