AN Aberystwyth woman was caught on CCTV stealing food from shops twice in the space of six days.

Lorraine Bunn, of Room 3, 13 Corporation Street, pleaded guilty to stealing just over £13 of food from two Spar stores with Bunn saying that she had done it to provide food to a homeless friend.

Prosecutor Kevin Challinor said Bunn was first caught on CCTV on 22 March picking up food items in Spar in Great Darkgate Street before putting them in her coat and walking away.

A staff member who became suspicious after seeing Bunn’s coat pockets were bulging checked the footage and reported it to police.

Bunn was then again seen on CCTV at Spar’s Terrace Road store on 28 March when she picked up an Easter egg and walked out of the shop without paying for it. She was identified by police and arrested, but made no comment during an interview. However, her solicitor, Alan Lewis, said Bunn had taken the items to ensure that a homeless friend had something to eat.

He said Bunn had been though a difficult time herself with homelessness and problems with alcohol which had led to her getting into trouble.

But Mr Lewis said Bunn had stayed out of trouble for three years and had addressed her issues, but had been trying to help a man who was facing the same problems she had battled.

While Bunn had wanted to help him, Mr Lewis said she did not have the money to pay for food for him, so had stolen items which she accepted was not the right way to handle things.

He said the homeless man had been upset and depressed, so on the second occasion Bunn had stolen an Easter egg to try and cheer him up.

Mr Lewis said: “This is a blip. She feels she’s let herself down and let others down who’ve been helping her over the last three years.”

Bunn was given a 12-month conditional discharge, but will pay compensation to Spar of £13.45 and costs of £105.