A CARLISLE woman who flouted a suspended jail term by stealing perfume from the city’s Debenhams store has appeared in front of a judge.
Tanya Alexandra Butler, 41, was sentenced last May for injuring a police officer with a knife. Butler had confessed to drinking two litres of vodka before an incident three months earlier during which was found in a “pretty shocking state”, drunk and on the tracks at Carlisle railway station.
She was taken to hospital amid concerns for her condition and mental health, but absconded and located by a PC at her mother’s address, where she lunged at a kitchen block and withdrew a knife with a large, serrated blade. During a struggle with the officer he suffered a hand injury which required five stitches. She told him afterwards: “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
After admitting actual bodily harm assault, Butler, of Melbourne Road, Carlisle, had an eight-month jail term suspended for two years by a judge who heard of her personal issues.
But she was back at Carlisle Crown Court today (FRI) after stealing perfume valued at £201 from Debenhams earlier this year. She removed security tags but was detained outside the city centre store.
Butler admitted theft and appeared before Judge Nicholas Barker, who heard updates from the probation service, her lawyer and mother, which pointed to “genuine progress” in recent months.
Imposing a conditional discharge for the theft, and extra rehabilitation requirement days for breaching suspended prison sentence, Judge Barker concluded: “I am not about to put that progress in jeopardy.”
But he warned Butler: “If you are tempted again to commit further offences then this shop theft will come back to haunt you.”
