A Hitchin woman has been handed a suspended prison sentence after admitting carrying out four shop thefts from the same convenience store earlier this year.

Josephine Matthews, 57, of Hazelwood Close, appeared at Stevenage Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, June 24, after being charged with four counts of theft from S & K Stores on Walsworth Road.

The offences took place on February 20, March 5, April 3 and April 18.

Matthews pleaded guilty to all four offences.

The court sentenced her to eight weeks' imprisonment for each offence, suspended for 12 months. She was also ordered to pay £294.94 in compensation.

The sentencing follows an investigation by North Herts Police into the repeated thefts at the Hitchin convenience store.

Police confirmed the outcome in an update issued this week, saying the sentence relates to four separate shoplifting offences committed at the Walsworth Road business.

Anyone with information about crime in the area can report it to Hertfordshire Constabulary online or by calling 101. In an emergency, always dial 999.

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