A Milford woman with an extensive history of shoplifting has been given a community order in court and a warning from magistrates about facing jail if her offending continues.

Twenty-seven-year-old Kelly Louise Rees, of Precelly Place, pleaded guilty to the theft of clothing to the value of £48.02 from the Peacocks store in Pembroke Dock when she appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Prosecutor Abul Hussain told the court that Ms Rees had a long list of convictions for theft and was in breach of a 12 month conditional discharge issued to her in February for stealing from another store.

The court heard how this latest incident saw Ms Rees place several items of children’s clothing into a bag and leave the store without offering payment.

Defence solicitor David Williams told the court that his client said that she liked the clothing and wanted to give them to a relative’s children, but didn’t have sufficient funds to pay for the items.

“She didn’t think it through and bitterly regrets her spontaneous actions,” he said.

A probation officer presented magistrates with a pre-sentence report stating that Ms Rees had been subject to community orders in the past and also a suspended sentence order for shoplifting.

“She’s on a slippery slope as her offending is escalating again. Ms Rees is scared that she is going to get a custodial sentence for this,” Mrs. Norman told the court.

“There is no need for this lady to go shoplifting, and she has a significant amount of fines owed to the court.

“She is on benefits and has three young children and is suffering with budgeting issues.

“We need to get to the bottom of why she continues to offend and I have warned her that she needs to address the issues or she will put herself in prison,” she added.

Chief magistrate Margaret Thomas told the defendant that they were extremely concerned that her behaviour had escalated.

“You know what will happen if you don’t stop offending, your children will be children whose mum is in prison,” she told Ms Rees.

Magistrates revoked the current conditional discharge and imposed a 12 month community order on Ms Rees, with a rehab activity requirement of 20 days.

Ms Rees was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and an £85 victim surcharge.