Woman burglar with 207 convictions is finally jailed... but she laughs at two-year sentence and shouts: 'Cushty'



A woman thief who preyed on the elderly was finally locked up yesterday – after amassing 207 convictions.

Despite her extraordinary criminal record, Caroline Pattinson, 34, had been spared prison on countless occasions.

But after targeting a 72-year-old grandmother in her home the heroin addict was at last sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail.

Pattinson, however, laughed it off. As she was led away from the dock she turned to the court and shouted: 'Cushty, easily done.'

'Without morals': Caroline Pattinson, 34, right, shouted 'cushty, easily done' as Judge Roger Thorn QC, left, jailed for her 207th offence

The serial offender, who has at least one child in care, began offending when she was just 14.

But in another illustration of soft justice, the one-woman crimewave was repeatedly handed community orders and suspended sentences, instead of time behind bars. It is believed she has only ever served time in prison while on remand.

With little or no deterrent, she continued to offend and over the last two decades amassed a huge criminal record that now includes: 108 convictions for theft; 42 offences against police officers; 26 offences of fraud and dishonesty; five public order offences; four offences on property; three offences against the person; two drug offences and 17 miscellaneous non-recordable offences.

Her latest conviction for burglary was her 207th crime – the equivalent of committing an offence every month of her adult life.

The court was told how Pattinson conned her way into the tower block home owned by pensioner Lillian Wilde last Christmas by pretending that she was visiting her aunt.

She told her victim that she was feeling dizzy after a bout of pneumonia and was invited into the two-bedroom flat in Newcastle upon Tyne. Mrs Wilde, showing compassion for the stranger on her doorstep, began making Pattinson a coffee in the kitchen, the court heard.

But as soon as her back was turned, Pattinson, of Elswick, Newcastle, sneaked into the lounge and snatched Mrs Wilde's purse which contained £40 and a supermarket voucher.

Pattinson then told her victim to 'cancel the coffee' before slipping out of the flat.

Mrs Wilde, who lives on the top floor of the block which has an entry buzzer, said: 'Normally I am quite careful, nobody gets in. I do not know how she got in downstairs because the door should have been locked.

'Cushty': Pattison told Newcastle Crown Court her two-and-a-half years sentence would be 'cushty, easily done'

'It was traumatic, but I am one of those who does not stay in and dwell on things.'

The pensioner, who lives on her own, added: 'I had been told she had done this before, but I did not know it was so bad.'

Pattinson, who has been addicted to heroin for 12 years, tried to establish a fake alibi but was picked out at an identity parade and finally pleaded guilty to carrying out the December 19 theft. Sentencing her at Newcastle Crown Court, Judge Roger Thorn said: 'This was planned with some degree of cunning.

'WITHOUT MORALS' OR FEAR OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM

Career criminal Caroline Pattinson’s has 207 convictions after being jailed at Newcastle Crown Court, including:

Three for ‘offences against the person’



Four of offences on property,



26 fraud and kindred offences (meaning other offences involving deception)



108 ‘theft and kindred’ offences (meaning other offences involving dishonesty)

Five public order offences,



42 offences concerning police, (an example given was resisting arrest or assaults on police officers)

two drug offences



17 miscellaneous non-recordable offences.

'There must be a significant sentence to send a message that the elderly will be protected when they are at home and protected from people like you who seem to be without morals.'

Pattinson, who turned to drink after trying to come off heroin substitutes, has scores of similar offences on her criminal record, mostly against elderly victims.

In August last year she stole a 90-year-old woman's purse while shopping in a Bon Marche store in South Shields. In October 2010, she was spared jail after sneaking into a house in Elswick, Newcastle, and confronting a mother serving dinner to her young children.

The frightened victim chased Pattinson out of the property, but not before the thief had helped herself to the woman's £80 handbag, £100 in cash and a credit card.

That time, Pattinson claimed her offending was drug-related and after pleading for leniency from the judge to deal with her addictions she was handed a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

In July 2008, she was convicted of stealing £3,000 worth of goods during a one-month crime spree, targeting stores and supermarkets throughout the North East. She pleaded guilty to stealing £190 from a till and a purse containing £45. She also withdrew £1,000 from a stolen credit card.

Magistrates imposed only a 28-week suspended jail sentence that time.

In April 2007, she told a court how she was fighting to regain custody of her seven-month-old daughter after she admitted stealing a handbag and purse to pay for heroin.

The case was adjourned but after she failed to attend pre-arranged appointments she was remanded into custody for sentencing.

She returned to court later and was handed a year-long supervision order and told to attend an abuse programme.

In April 2004, she was convicted of stealing credit cards from victims' purses and spending hundreds of pounds on expensive items and jewellery.