Great-grandmother, 76, shoplifted because she was 'bored of being old'

The mother-of-seven later claimed she only carried out the thefts to relieve her boredom as she was fed up of living on her own Photo: Alamy By News agencies

8:47AM GMT 28 Jan 2014

A great-grandmother suffering from arthritis embarked on a four year shoplifting spree because she was ''bored'' of being old.

June Humphreys, 76, used her bus pass to travel to town centres before hiding consumer commodities in her shopping trolley then sneaking out of stores without paying.

The OAP from Crewe, Cheshire was being treated for breast cancer and osteoarthritis but would strike at high streets across two counties.

Store detectives would catch her red handed, however she went back out shoplifting again.

The mother-of-seven later claimed she only carried out the thefts to relieve her boredom as she was fed up of living on her own.

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A probation officer said the old lady had as many shoplifting convictions as a teenage heroin addict.

Details of the offending OAP emerged at North Staffordshire Magistrates' Court where Humphreys was warned she will go to jail if she shoplifts again.

Probation officer Darren Vernon told the hearing: "She has travelled around Staffordshire and Cheshire on public transport and committed offences.

"She knows what she is doing is wrong, she says she is bored and needs to fill her time.

"The main reason for her doing this is boredom. She lives alone. She has seven children but the only one she has contact with lives above her.

"She has acquired the record of a heroin addict in his late teens."

Earlier the court heard Humphreys' offending took her to high streets in Stoke, Leek, Macclesfield, Stafford and Whitchurch and had convictions for shop theft in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and on January 14 this year.

In the latest bout of thefts, she pleaded guilty to stealing confectionery worth £2 from Iceland, theft of baby clothes worth £69 from BHS, stealing baby clothes worth £24.98 from B & M, and theft of a breast pump from Boots, all on January 6.

The pensioner also admitted stealing alcohol, coffee and confectionery worth £30.42 from an Aldi store and stealing two pairs of boots worth £94.50 from a shoe shop in Hanley, Staffs , a week before Christmas.

She was sentenced to one-month in prison suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay £45 costs and an £80 victim surcharge. Magistrates revoked a community order which had previously been imposed on her for theft.

Her lawyer Andrew Bennett said: "My client does not want to go to prison. She wants to stop doing this. She wants to stop stealing from shops."

 Law and OrderNews »UK News »Crime »

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Chief executive handed over £600k after being duped by lover, court hears

A chief executive was duped by her lover into handing over thousands of pounds after the man, who had been living with his mother, claimed he was a wealthy investor, a court hears

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15-year-old boy dies after being shot on family farm

Police arrive at the scene of the shooting in Ulpha, Cumbria Photo: CASCADE By Hannah Furness

12:53AM GMT 23 Nov 2013

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A 15-year-old schoolboy has died after being shot in the head on his family’s farm land in Cumbria.

Edward Gabbert, from Ulpha, Cumbria, died in hospital after the shooting, which happened late at night near to his home.

A 35-year-old man from Barrow-in-Furness has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the incident, after police were called at 11.17pm on Thursday.

He was one of two men with the schoolboy when the shooting happened, with an outbuilding around half a mile from the main property being cordoned off for police to investigate.

Neighbours told the Telegraph the shooting was thought to be a “tragic accident”.

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Edward, who was a Year 11 pupil at nearby Millom School, was taken to Salford Royal Infirmary with serious injuries and died with his parents by his side.

Another man present, aged in his 40s, was not injured and has not been arrested over the incident.

Both adults were given permission to shoot on the land by the owners, Edward’s parents Eleanor and Andrew Gabbert.

Sources confirmed they were not related to the schoolboy, and were not paid members of staff at the farm. It is understood the incident involved a shotgun.

A statement issued by Cumbria police said they were called to the scene at 11.17pm on Thursday, following reports of a 15-year-old boy with "serious injuries".

A spokeswoman said: "Police are supporting the family at this tragic time.”

A statement from Millom School said: "Millom School can confirm that one of our Year 11 pupils has been involved in an incident at his home."

Edward’s school friends have already paid tribute to him, while neighbours in Ulpha told the Telegraph the tight-knit community was waiting to find out what had happened.

Writing on a social networking website last night, one hailed him as one of the school’s “greatest characters”.

Another said: “Such a good friend gone. RIP mate, gone but never forgotten. “

Edward is survived by his mother Eleanor, father Andrew, brother Ian and sister Fiona.

 CrimeNews »UK News »Hannah Furness »

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More than £300m of art being stolen in Britain each year

A new taskforce is established to crack down on art theft as it emerges that the crime is now the second most lucrative criminal enterprise behind drug dealing

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More than £300m of art being stolen in Britain each year

A new taskforce is established to crack down on art theft as it emerges that the crime is now the second most lucrative criminal enterprise behind drug dealing

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Shocking CCTV shows moment American student attacked with glass bottle for 'not being local'

23 Oct 2013 10:19Francesco Hounye, 22, suffered serious injuries and has been scarred for life after he was set upon by five Asian men just three days after arriving in the UK from Florida

 

This shocking CCTV footage shows the moment an American student was attacked with a bottle by a gang of thugs simply because he 'wasn't local'.

Francesco Hounye, 22, was set upon by five Asian men as he walked home from a night out with a friend, just three days after arriving in the UK from Florida.

CCTV shows the gang smash a glass bottle in his face before chasing him and repeatedly punching and kicking him.

Police have now released footage of the attack, which happened around 20 past midnight on June 17 in Commercial Road, east London, in a bid to trace the suspects.

Detectives say Mr Hounye, who had been on a night out in the Brick Lane area with a 23-year-old who he was staying with, was targeted because he was "obviously not local".

The video shows the pair walking back to the friend's home in Shadwell when they were confronted by the gang.

Following a heated exchange, one of the suspects grabbed a bottle the victim was drinking from and smashed it in his face.

As Mr Hounye tried to escape, the men chased after him and continued to beat him up before fleeing.

The victim suffered deep slash wounds to his head and right ear as well as internal injuries and a chipped tooth.

He was taken to the Royal London Hospital where he received 23 stitches and will now be scarred for life.

Mr Hounye said: "As a result of this incident I am now scared to go out on my own in London. I am a visitor to the UK and was considering continuing my studies here but this incident has made me think twice.

"I feel very emotional about the whole situation. I also now face the rest of my life with the permanent scarring that will be left on my face as a result of this attack.

"Every time I look in the mirror from now on I will be reminded of this incident."

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Ben Mott, said: "We believe the suspects picked a fight with the victim as he was obviously not from the local area and they took exception to the fact that he was a bit different.

"The victim has an Italian accent, his own style of dress and mannerisms and, when challenged by the Asian males, answered them back.

"They retaliated by grabbing the bottle and launching a vicious attack that has left him scarred for life. He had come to the UK to enhance his studies and has been left so shocked and horrified by what happened that he feels unsafe and is unsure if he wants to stay here.

"The CCTV footage is exceptionally clear and I believe the suspects to be local. I would ask people to please look closely at the faces of the attackers and help us identify them. I am positive someone would know who they are from looking at the footage."

The suspects are described as Asian and aged in their late teens to early 20s. They are possibly Bengali.

The man who used the bottle was wearing a red and white striped short-sleeved top with black trousers, white trainers and a large watch.

Anyone who can help is asked to contact Tower Hamlets CID on 020 7275 4546 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Disgraced Stuart Hall stripped of OBE after being jailed for sex offences

However he eventually admitted 14 counts of indecent assault against girls aged between nine and 17 over a period of almost 20 years in April. A reporting ban on his pleas was lifted in May. 

In rising his jail term to 30 months, Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge said his initial denials of his crimes were a "seriously aggravating" feature in the case. 

The married star's eccentric and erudite football match summaries made him a cult figure on BBC Radio 5 Live.

He also wrote a weekly sport column for the Radio Times magazine up until his arrest.

In 1999 various Members of Parliament signed a House of Commons motion, congratulating Hall on 40 years in broadcasting.

He was made an OBE in the 2012 New Year's list. 

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'I feel violated': Over 30 women join lawsuit against jail for being 'treated like animals' after secret cameras capture them undressing and going to the toilet

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