A Whiteley woman who stole a wallet after a man left it at a supermarket’s self-service counter was given a conditional discharge by magistrates.
Sheree Love, 30, of Saffron Way, was seen on CCTV in Sainsbury’s in Fareham to take a wallet belonging to Nicholas Wilson and conceal it in her bag after he left it on the counter.
Mr Wilson went back to the store to look for it. But Love left the store with the wallet.
Love was arrested five weeks later and by that time the £250 that was in the wallet was no longer there, said prosecutor Alex Dabson.
In a police interview Love said she had planned to return the wallet to the owner but as there was no licence in it, she could not.
Defending, Stephen Bentley said Love had been “emotional and upset” by the experience.
The single mother, who had planned to train and qualify as a teacher, had to give up voluntary work at a junior school that her child attended as a result of the case.
Fareham magistrates gave Love a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered she pay £250 compensation to Mr Wilson, £85 court costs and a £15 victim surcharge.