A prolific thief who burgled a Worcester home and stole from city shops did not turn up at court, claiming she was self-isolating with COVID-19.
Klair Bradshaw was due to be sentenced for burglary, theft and five shoplifting offenses but did not attend Worcester Crown Court on Monday after developing virus symptoms.
The 51-year-old of Milward Close, St John’s, Worcester has already pleaded guilty at magistrates court to burglary and theft at a house in Oldbury Road, St John’s, Worcester and shoplifting offenses at the city’s Wilko, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Co-op stores stores and at Worcester Garden Center.
The Worcester News understands she had 33 convictions for 101 offenses.
Mark Sheward, defending, said his client had previously been in hospital for eight weeks with pneumonia.
He told the judge: “Miss Bradshaw phoned me to say she was poorly. She had been poorly over the weekend. She feels she may have COVID symptoms and had decided to isolate herself.”
The Worcester solicitor said he had advised her to call the NHS 101 number and added: “She isn’t here. When I spoke to her on the phone she didn’t sound very well. She was coughing a lot.” Judge Nicolas Cartwright said: “These things have to be taken at face value in the current climate.”
While courts remain open, the Government advice remains that you should not come to any court and tribunal buildings if you have coronavirus symptoms, if you have tested positive for coronavirus, or if you have been instructed by the NHS to self-isolate. Various measures have been taken at Worcester Crown Court to reduce the risk including offering hand gel at the entrance, asking people to wear masks, using remote courts and limiting the number of people who can attend any one court at the same time. Screens have been used in court to protect jurors during trials… Worcester News