A shoplifter has been arrested after she stole a coat from Primark on her way to court.

Darlene Mullen from Perth, Scotland, was wearing the stolen jacket when she arrived at court to be sentenced for other shoplifting charges.

The 26-year-old was caught on camera asking staff at the court to help her remove the security tag from the coat.

Darlene Mullen wore the stolen jacket when she arrived at court to be sentenced for other shoplifting charges

Solicitor David Holmes, defending Darlene, asked Perth Sheriff Court to give her a community sentence and said she was on the right track and was dealing with her criminal behaviour.


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But Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said: ‘Let me stop you right there. She was supposed to be here at 10am on 19 September to be sentenced by my brother sheriff for shoplifting.



‘At 10.25am she stopped off on her way here to steal a coat from Primark. You can hardly tell me that is her being on the right track.’

He said he had no option but to jail Darlene after she admitted stopping off to steal the coat from Primark after being caught cold during Storm Ali last month.

She had already been spotted on CCTV and was recognised by her distinctive red wellington boots before she was arrested on the court steps.

She was recognised in CCTV footage thanks to her distinct red Hunter boots

The court was told last month that she was unable to appear because she had been arrested a short time before her case called.

She then appeared from custody and admitted stealing clothing from Primark on 19 September, while she was on bail.

She also admitted being in possession five wraps of heroin worth around £100 when she was arrested.

Fiscal depute Carol Whyte told the court: ‘The item was valued at £25.. When the accused was arrested at court she was wearing the jacket.

‘Although it was not in a re-saleable condition, I doubt she still has it.’

She stole the £25 coat on her way to court (Picture: PA)

Co-accused Natalie Radunski, 22, also appeared from custody alongside Darlene and admitted stealing items of clothing from Primark.

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A court source said: ‘It takes some nerve to stop off on the way to court to steal a jacket because you haven’t dressed warm enough to cope with the storm.

‘It was absolutely tipping down when they arrived at court and Darlene hadn’t even taken the label and price tag off the jacket she had stolen.

“To hand the tags over to the security staff on the door at the court might not have been the brightest idea she ever had.

‘There was already an alert out for her after she was spotted leaving Primark and her bright red wellies made it pretty easy for the police to identify her.’

Natalie, also of Nimmo Place, Perth, was jailed for four months yesterday.

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