Prolific Peterborough shoplifter who breached shopping centre bans jailed

A prolific shoplifter who breached a court order banning her from two shopping centres in the centre of Peterborough has been told she will spend Christmas in prison.

Jolene Maughan, 35, was arrested in Geneva Street, Peterborough city centre, on Tuesday (October 17) by officers from the local Neighbourhood Policing Team.

She had been circulated as wanted for breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) and several thefts in the area and was spotted by the officers who were on routine patrols in the city centre.

Maughan, of no fixed address, was handed a two-year CBO in July, banning her from Queensgate shopping centre and Asda in Rivergate as a result of her level of offending, the impact it was having on local businesses and the demand it was putting on the force.

She appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (October 18) where she was sentenced to a total of 42 weeks in prison after admitting ten offences.

The ten offences

- Theft of a handbag worth £37 from River Island in Queensgate on 4 October

- Section 4 public order offence, namely threatening to spit at a person, on 4 October

- Breaching a CBO by entering Queensgate on 4 October

- Theft of a handbag worth £35 from River Island in Queensgate on 10 October

- Breaching a CBO by entering Queensgate on 10 October

- Theft of a coat worth £64.99 from New Look in Queensgate on 10 October

- Breaching a CBO by entering Queensgate on 10 October

- Section 4 public order offence, namely threatening to punch a person, on 10 October

- Theft of Smirnoff vodka worth £23 from Asda in Rivergate on 12 October

- Breaching a CBO by entering Rivergate on 12 October

PC Lewis Roulstone, who investigated, said: “We are working hard to tackle crime that is affecting our businesses across the city, and have been working closely with retailers concerning shoplifting and seeking prosecutions where there is the evidence to do so.

“Maughan, who has an extensive history of theft, has a preventative order in place to protect our businesses, however she has shown no regard for this and has now found herself in prison until next year.”