A CHARD shoplifter who threatened to “bottle” a supermarket security guard and then accused staff at another store of “disgusting” behaviour when they detained her for stealing has been given a six week curfew.

Katrina O’Mara slammed staff at the Lidl store in the town saying they had acted in a disgusting manner towards her and said: “It was only £14 worth of goods.”

In another incident the defendant had been drinking all night when she went out and started kicking a neighbour’s car during an ongoing feud.

She then got a broom handle and started hitting and smashing the windows leaving the vehicle a write-off.

O’Mara, 38, of Brunel Court, appeared in the dock before Somerset Magistrates at Yeovil and pleaded guilty to the theft of a cottage pie, bottle of thousand island dressing, a box of chocolate fingers, packet of sweet chilli salmon and two bottles of wine worth £14.50 from Lidl in Chard on April 25.

She also admitted the theft of two bottles of alcohol from Tesco on May 12 and damaging windows to a Peugeot 206 at Chard on May 13 belonging to Jack Dunster.

Prosecutor Richard Parkhouse said the defendant went to the Lidl store at 1pm on April 25 and walked around, selecting various items worth £14.50 and then put them in her handbag.

“A security officer followed her and the deputy manager also became aware of the theft and he then saw her put a bottle of wine in her bag,” he said.

“O’Mara went to the till area and got a can of energy drink but made no attempt to pay and was detained as she tried to leave.”

When she was interviewed by the police she had very little empathy for her crime saying she couldn’t remember taking them.

“She said she considered the behaviour of the staff to be “disgusting” and said it was only £14 worth of stuff,” added Mr Parkhouse.

In a business impact statement the store manager said that although it was only £14.50 worth of goods, this had cost the company a lot more in time and other members of staff having to use their time to deal with it.

He said: “Even though the goods were recovered, some had to be disposed of. We try and keep prices down but due to people who think they can just take our goods without paying for it affects our prices and affects our end business. This is not a victimless crime.”

On May 12 the defendant went into the Tesco store in Chard and was challenged by a security guard after she had been seen to conceal bottles of alcohol in her bag.

He approached her and said “excuse me” several times, and when he called her again O’Mara said: “If you come near me I will bottle you” so he let her walk away.

The following morning, after she had been drinking all night, she went back to Reed Close in Chard where she had been living and went up to a front door and shouted for the occupant to come out into the street.

“Witnesses saw O’Mara kick Mr Dunster’s car and she then reappeared with a broom handle and began hitting the vehicle around the windows,” said Mr Parkhouse.

“The police were called and spoke to the defendant who was then arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage.”

The victim made a statement saying he had only paid £250 for the car so he could learn to drive and said it was not worth repairing, but had to fork out £270 to buy a replacement vehicle.

A Probation spokeswoman said that O’Mara had a series of ongoing disputes with her neighbours in Reed Close and had since given up her tenancy and moved back in with her mother.

“The defendant cannot remember much about what happened but wants to put it all behind her now,” she said.

“She was previously in disastrous relationship with the father of her children and has now moved back in with her mother and father.”

The magistrates sentenced O’Mara to a community order with the six week tagged curfew.

They also ordered her to pay £270 compensation to Jack Dunster but no compensation for the two thefts, and also imposed court costs of £350.