Depressed woman altered prescription
Published on 12th April 2007 in News
A Goole woman was handed a conditional discharge for 12 months when she appeared before Goole Magistrates' Court.
Cheryl Bryan (34), of Marshfield Avenue, pleaded guilty to shoplifting and using a false instrument to change the details on a doctor's prescription.
Prosecutor Teresa Slater told the court that on February 5 Miss Bryan went to the Lidl supermarket in Goole and put four bottles of shampoo, valued at a total of £12.88, in her handbag and left the store without paying for them. A member of staff who witnessed the theft took Miss Bryan back into the store and the items were recovered.
Miss Slater told the court that, four days later, Miss Bryan went into Lloyds Pharmacy in Goole and handed over a prescription for diazepam tablets. It was noticed that she had altered the number of tablets from 12 to 28, and changed the days listed on the prescription from three to 13.
The altered prescription was not processed after a member of staff made a telephone call to Miss Bryan's doctor, who confirmed that it had been changed.
Defending, Mr Shaun Pinchbeck told the court that Miss Bryan currently lived on her own and was experiencing family problems. This had made her depressed.
He said that Miss Bryan fully accepted that she altered the prescription before handing it over at Lloyd's Pharmacy.
With regard to the theft of the shampoo bottles, Mr Pinchbeck added that Miss Bryan was hoping to sell the items in order to make money so that she could buy some food.
He said: "Miss Bryan admits it was stupid as she was aware that she was being watched, but she took the items anyway."
Magistrates gave Miss Bryan a conditional discharge for 12 months, but warned her that she would be re-sentenced for the shampoo theft if she committed a further offence within a year.
Miss Bryan also pleaded not guilty to a separate burglary charge when she appeared in court on Tuesday. Magistrates decided that this case should be heard at Hull Crown Court on May 15. Miss Bryan was granted unconditional bail until this time.