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18
Nov
Harrogate woman sentenced for biting Aldi employee
The Stray Ferret spent the morning at Harrogate Magistrates Court last Thursday (November 14). We sat through a full morning of hearings, which included a theft and a drink-driving case. You can read reports on two cases below.
A Harrogate woman was sentenced for a string of offences when she appeared in court on Thursday (November 14).
Samantha Hardy, of Bewerley Road, pleaded guilty to six counts of theft as well as to charges of attempted theft and assault.
Mel Ibbotson, prosecuting, told the court the majority of thefts happened at Aldi, at the retail park on Oak Beck Road, which were caught on CCTV.
The court heard Hardy, 44, stole a bottle of vodka – valued at £15.99 – from the supermarket on July 15. She was followed out of the store and challenged, but Hardy “made off” with the items.
Ms Ibbotson said the store manager, who was named in court, told the defendant she was banned from the store.
But on July 27, Hardy returned to the store and stole alcohol, soft drinks and tin foil. She stole a pack of San Miguel from the same supermarket on August 13 and stole £41.90 worth of steak from Aldi on September 18. Hardy then stole a further £28.75 worth of items on October 17.
Ms Ibbotson told the court Hardy entered Aldi again on October 18. An employee saw the defendant enter and head to the alcohol section.
The court heard:
He told her she was banned, and she said, ‘I didn’t steal anything yesterday and I am going to pay today’.
The defendant is described as trying to leave the store and she was swinging her arms. He [victim] got in between her and the automatic doors. She tried to kick him and then bit him on the arm.
A colleague stood outside and waited for the police to arrive. The victim sustained a graze from pushing and shoving and had a small mark on his arm from the bite.
Hardy also stole a box of Kronenbourg from the Co-op on King Edward's Drive on October 2.
She breached the terms of a conditional discharge by committing the offences, the court heard.
Andrew Tinning, defending, told the court although there are a number of thefts, they are all “relatively low value”. Some of them concern alcohol, which Mr Tinning said is Hardy’s “current issue”.
The defendant drinks alcohol as a way of coping with her previous drug addiction, the court heard.
Mr Tinning acknowledged Hardy reacted with “certain violence when someone tried to apprehend her”.
Hardy was ordered to complete a six-month alcohol treatment requirement and 25 rehabilitation activity days.
She was excluded from Aldi at Harrogate Retail Park for 12 months, and ordered to pay a £114 surcharge and £50 in compensation.
Defence asks court to give drink-driver ‘one final chance’
Jamal Yaqoob was charged with two driving offences.
Yaqoob, of Charles Street in Nelson, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to driving above the limit, and one count of driving whilst disqualified.
Prosecutor Mel Ibbotson told the court police stopped a car on the A61 near Ripon on October 26.
When approached by officers, Yaqoob “almost immediately informed police that he was a disqualified driver”.
The 28-year-old, who wore a grey suit in court, had been disqualified from driving for 36 months in May 2022 for a drug-driving offence.
He was arrested and breathalysed at the police station, which recorded 64 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.
Ms Ibbtoson said she did not know how far Yaqoob had driven and there was “no evidence” of bad driving.
The defence told the court Yaqoob has an “extremely poor driving record”, but he was “not trying to minimise that”.
The defence said:
He is aware he is at risk of custody, but his personal circumstances are different than when he was disqualified. Then, his son and wife were living in Pakistan, and he wasn’t working. He was struggling with his mental health and missed his family.
Now, they live in the UK and have welcomed a baby daughter. But his wife doesn’t speak English. He is the primary carer for his father, and he works as a warehouse operative 20 hours a week.
The court heard his new job demonstrates a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation”.
“Two children would also be without a father. We ask you to please offer him one final chance”, the defence said.
Magistrates ordered Yaqoob to complete 20 rehabilitation days, as well as 80 hours of unpaid work over the next 12 months.
He was disqualified from driving for 36 months, and must pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £114 surcharge.
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