A thief who is paralysed down one side and walks with a plastic cast on her leg, admitted stealing a single Nike trainer from a sports shop in the Pentagon Shopping Centre in Chatham.

Ruby Eastwood, 25, also pleaded guilty to stealing £109 of shopping from the Asda store in Maidstone Road, in the town when she appeared before magistrates in Medway.

The court heard how Eastwood, of Summerson Close, Rochester, walked out of the supermarket with a trolley full of shopping without making any attempt to pay.

She was stopped by staff outside the store and asked for a receipt for her shopping but failed to produce one.

As staff were dealing with the incident, Eastwood managed to jump into an awaiting taxi and flee.

The police were called and Eastwood, who has previous convictions for carrying out similar offences, was recognised by officers on CCTV footage.

The court also heard how less than a month later, Eastwood was spotted picking up a single white Nike trainer and putting it in her bag without attempting to pay for it at the JD Sports store in the Pentagon Shopping Centre.

She was again identified by police via CCTV footage and when officers went to her home to arrest her, they found the trainer inside.

When she was questioned over the matters, Eastwood replied no comment to officers.

The court also heard by committed the offences she was in beach of a community order she’s been placed on previously.

Robert Weston, defending, told the court his client had been in a poor state of mind at the time as her former partner has been jailed for 26 months for assaulting her and she was not living with her son either.

Mr Weston said: “Her benefits has stopped at the time and she has a personality disorder and is paralysed down one side.”

Magistrates jailed Eastwood for 12 weeks but suspended the term for two years and ordered she complete 30 days of rehabilitation activity requirement as directed by probation officers.

Magistrates also ordered her to pay £90 compensation and £85 costs.