Pharmacy chain Boots has banned a woman, Emma Berry, who struggles with addiction to crack cocaine, from all its stores across the UK. This comes after Berry repeatedly targeted and stole cosmetics from a Boots shop in Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, a total of eight times.
Berry, aged 36, wept during her sentencing hearing at Manchester Crown Court on April 13, where Recorder Imran Shafi KC emphasized the consequences of her actions.
She had previously received a suspended sentence in 2021 for robbery, which had already placed the possibility of jail time looming over her, reports Manchester Evening News.
Despite her barrister’s appeal for one last chance, the judge, Recorder Shafi, who acknowledged Berry’s severe addiction to crack cocaine, refused and instead sentenced her to eight months in prison.
Recorder Shafi highlighted that Berry had been given numerous chances in the past to demonstrate her ability to rehabilitate, but had not taken advantage of them.
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The prosecution, represented by Mark Pritchard, detailed how Berry had repeatedly stolen approximately £600 worth of products from the same store between December last year and February of 2023.
After being confronted by a store worker for taking razors and eyelashes without paying, Berry responded with abusive language, saying: “I don’t give a f***. Don’t f***ing come near me. There’s f*** all you can do about it.”
She also admitted to stealing shampoo, shower gel, and deodorant on other occasions.
In court, a statement from the shop worker was read, questioning why Berry should be allowed to escape consequences for her behaviour and urging the court to hold her accountable for her abusive conduct.
Berry’s shoplifting activities violated a suspended sentence she had received in the same court in 2021.
She had previously pleaded guilty to robbery after enlisting a homeless man to rob a drunk individual she had met in a pub.
Berry had rifled through the victim’s pockets and stolen his phone, cash, and cigarettes after her accomplice had threatened the victim with a bottle.
In her defence, Harriet Tighe stated that Berry had turned to drugs as a coping mechanism after experiencing a “number of traumatic instances in her life”.
She said Berry had been offered drug rehabilitation support by the probation service and appealed for her to be given a chance. But the judge refused and told Berry: “I would be failing in my public duty if I didn’t send you to prison today.”
A criminal behaviour order was also imposed, which bans Berry from entering any Boots store across the country for the next three years.
Berry, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to eight charges of theft and a further offence of using threatening words or behaviour.
She will serve half of her eight-month sentence in prison.
