Subscribe to trusted local news
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
- Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
04
Sept
Dog pram used to steal items from Harrogate shop, court hears
A dog pram was used to steal items from an outdoor retailer in Harrogate, a court heard today (September 4).
Winifred Stokes, of Shakespeare Avenue in Hillingdon, pleaded guilty to theft when she appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court.
Sarah Tyrer, prosecuting, told the court Stokes was with the co-accused, a named man, at the time of the offence.
The pair entered Cotswold Outdoor on West Park on June 3, 2024, when Stokes was pushing a “dog pushchair” around the store.
The co-accused, whose case has already been dealt with separately, removed items from the store and put them in the dog pram.
A staff member challenged 24-year-old Stokes and the male, but they told him to “f*** ***”.
Stokes and the male left the store and drove away. A member of the public passed the car's registration number to the police and an appeal to locate the pair was subsequently issued.
Ms Tyrer said an officer at Thames Valley Police recognised Stokes from the appeal, as the officer had previously stopped her in 2021.
The defendant later admitted to North Yorkshire Police she had been involved in the theft, but claimed she had not taken any items herself.
However, Stokes did admit to pushing the pram around the store as the male – her then-partner – placed the stolen goods inside it.
Asked why she had a dog pram with her, Stokes told police she was “going to pick her dog up later that day”.
Police showed Stokes CCTV footage of the theft, to which she accepted that she “never challenged him about his behaviour”.
Stokes accepts she was equally involved in the offence and told officers she was sorry for what she had done, the court heard.
Several items were taken at the time, which have not been recovered, and are believed to be valued at less than £1,000.
Stokes has been convicted of similar offences previously.
Defendant ‘allowed it to happen’
Chris McGrogan, defending, said the value of the stolen goods – initially thought to be around £4,000 – was agreed to be less than £1,000 when the co-accused’s case came to court.
The co-accused was sentenced on that basis.
He told the court Stokes was “quite emotional” about the incident and that her relationship with the male is now over.
Mr McGrogan said:
She tells me she was on the way to get her dog, that’s why she had the pram. The co-accused wanted to go into Cotswold. She had no idea what he was planning but she could clearly see he put items in the pram and under his coat.
She didn’t stop him and she allowed it to happen.
Defendant 'denies making any gain' from theft
The case was temporarily stood down for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
A probation officer later told the court Stokes had been staying with friends in the area at the time of the offence.
Stokes did not know the male was going to steal from the shop, but saw it happen and did not stop it, the court heard.
After stealing the items, the male co-accused gave them to family members.
“The defendant denies making any gain as a result of the offence”, the probation officer said.
Stokes did not report any physical or mental health issues, nor does she have any problems with substance misuse.
Before sentencing, Mr McGrogan told the magistrates:
It’s clear the co-accused is the man instigator in this incident. He was the one putting items in the pram and under his coat.
Stokes was handed a 12-month community order, which requires her to complete 40 hours of unpaid work and 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
She was also ordered to pay a £114 surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs.
0