Serial Whangarei shoplifter Joanne Williams' claim that she suffered from kleptomania did not wash with a judge who sent her to prison for persistent offending.
The 40-year-old woman appeared for sentencing in the Whangarei District Court yesterday on her 22nd shoplifting offence, third drink-driving charge and a charge of driving while
suspended.
Judge John McDonald said he did not regard shoplifting as a minor offence because it cost retailers hundreds of millions of dollars each year which was passed on to law-abiding citizens in terms of higher prices.
The judge said Williams was stopped by police on Cameron St about 4.45am on December 18, 2010 and she elected to supply blood.
She had 176 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood- more than twice the legal adult limit of 80mg.
Because of the high reading, Judge McDonald said Williams was forbidden to drive for 28 days.
Ten days later, she was again stopped on Cameron St for not wearing a seat belt and she provided false details to police.
When police found out her identity, Williams said she was only going to the shops before heading home. She was charged and released on bail.
On May 17, she went to Pak'n Save in central Whangarei, loaded her trolley, before walking out without paying for them. The items, worth $59, were recovered.
Judge McDonald said that often in their victim impact statements, groups representing shopkeepers reiterated that shoplifting costs their members hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
"Normally, items stolen are of small value but it's the number of times that people steal which leads to a great loss for shops ...," the judge said.
"It also means that large retailers put in place expensive surveillance equipment or hire security guards to combat shoplifting."
He said Williams started shoplifting in 1988 and her most recent offending before yesterday's appearance was on July 10, 2010 when home detention was imposed. Although she claimed to suffer from kleptomania, no evidence was produced in court from a medical professional to back that up.
Judge McDonald sentenced her to two months for shoplifting and a further three months consecutive term for drink driving.
Williams has been disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver's licence for 12 months.
What is Kleptomania?
A disorder in which the individual repeatedly gives in to the impulse to steal for no great gain, when he or she has sufficient money to pay for the item and no need for what is stolen.
