A 41 year old Gloucester grandmother who stole £3,000 worth of goods in a spate of shoplifting while on a suspended sentence has been given three months to 'prove herself' to a city judge.

Helen Edwards (pictured right), of Burns Avenue, Podsmead, pleaded guilty at Gloucester crown court to seven offences of shoplifting in Cheltenham, Swindon and Gloucester between 6th August last year and 31st January this year.

Six of the offences were committed after she had been given a suspended jail term for dangerous driving and the first of them was committed two days before she came back to court for that matter last year, said prosecutor Derek Perry.

On 6th August last year, she stole 25 items valued at £346 from Marks and Spencer, Cheltenham, he said.

Then on 20th November she stole £349.50 worth of clothes from Marks and Spencer, Swindon.

In both cases the items were recovered, the prosecutor said.

However in a spate of offending against Boots, Gloucester, none of the items she stole in five different raids, valued at £2,532, was recovered.

"It seems she was going and clearing out the shelves on some occasions," Mr Perry said.

She made two of her thieving forays into the store on the same afternoon, 12th January.

She also stole from Boots on 13th, 18th and 31st January, the prosecutor said.

"Clearly planned and professional shoplifting," Mr Perry said.

The court heard Edwards had 34 previous convictions for 104 offences, 'the majority of which are for dishonesty'.

Mr Perry said this represented: "Many years of offending behaviour.

"It is not opportunistic. It is repeated and targetted visits. It is planned.

"Clearing the shelves is a little bit different to a person helping themselves to one or two items.

"The most obvious aggravating feature is her record."

Edwards admitted she was in breach of a ten month jail term suspended for twelve months that was imposed last August for dangerous driving.

On that occasion she led police on a 100mph chase and did not stop until a stinger was deployed, the court heard.

Probation service officer, Neil Hewiit, gave a report to the court on Edwards.

"She said her father had died," the probation worker explained. "She had been looking after him 24 hours a day.

"She was also looking after her granddaughter

"She had no money, with bailiffs knocking at the door. She turned to what she knew.

"This was to pay for day to day items. She denies it was to do with drugs.

"Says she has been clean for two years, bar one lapse in January this year.

"She said it was £20 on crack cocaine.

"The main difference this time is that she has gone to prison clean from drugs, and this has changed everything for her.

"She realises she has to grow up and be an example to her children and grandchildren.

"Says she has accommodation to go to."

Mr Hewitt said Edwards was a 'professional dog groomer but has not worked for ten years'.

"Wants to work with Nelson Trust to gain employment. She needs to sort out her benefits.

"She has been largely drug free for two years, and has been doing work on relapse prevention.

"She has a five year old daughter she has joint custody of, and a 14 year old who is missing her greatly.

"She has got some mental health issues. There have been significant life events, and needs counselling around this."

Mr Hewitt said she had only completed seven of the thirty rehabilitation sessions ordered last August.

"There has been a period of non compliance," the probation worker conceded. "A certain amount of leeway was given to her."

Mr Hewitt proposed the judge defer sentence for three months as this would 'give her a chance to prove herself in the community'.

The judge, Recorder Richard Shepherd, said: "There is insufficient evidence that she has turned a corner, but I am minded to go along with the course of a deferred sentence along with some pretty stiff warnings."

Addressing Edwards directly and referring to letter she had written asking for clemency, the judge said: "To be frank, I am not sure I believe what you write in your letter.

"I suspect you have written similar letters every time you come to court over the years.

"You are intelligent and eloquent. You make various promises.

"Your family have also written letters about how you can be a good mum.

"I am not sure. If I was forced to sentence you today, this would not be enough to convince me.

"The probation service has thrown you a lifeline. To say 'we will take you at your word, over to you'.

"I am prepared to go along with that. You already have an existing order in place.

"That carries on, and you will continue attending.

"You will have three months to prove yourself. If you don't you will go to prison.

"Engage with Nelson Trust. You know they do brilliant work. They will bend over backwards to help anybody.

"It is on you. They cannot make your decisions for you.

"You are to continue to attend as probation direct, and there is to be no further offending.

"That is three simple conditions."

The judge asked her if she would abide, and she said she would.

He also ordered her to attend for review hearing in May and June before passing final sentence in July, warning her failure to attend would be a further offence.

Edwards said she would attend.

"I am not convinced you are telling me the truth," the judge said to her. "Prove me wrong."

"I am gonna," Edwards replied. "I will. Thanks."

Edwards' sentence was deferred until 9th July, with review hearings on 15th May and 12th June.

Read more: Grandmother to face lengthy jail term for shoplifting