A Dereham couple in financial trouble hit two supermarket chains with a string of thefts worth several hundreds of pounds.

Tesco and Sainsbury's were “targeted” over just a few weeks, a court heard on Thursday, August 11.

Bilton Brown also pleaded guilty to making off without paying from a Shell garage in the King’s Lynn area with fuel worth £121.32.

He and Rochelle Askew, both of Sandy Lane, appeared before magistrates in King's Lynn.

They each pleaded guilty to thefts of vodka and cider worth £185.25 from Sainsbury’s in King’s Lynn on May 22; bed sheets worth £106 from Tesco in Lynn on May 19; alcohol worth £258.50 from Tesco in Swaffham on May 8; Moet Champagne and coffee liquor from Tesco in Norwich on May 28; spirits from Tesco in Fakenham between April 11 and 13; alcohol and make-up from the same store between the same dates; alcohol and groceries from Tesco in Swaffham on April 26; vodka, whiskey and beer from Sainsbury’s in Lynn on April 25; vodka, whiskey and brandy from the same store on April 19; and groceries worth £25 from Tesco in Swaffham on May 11.

Prosecutor Paul Brown said: “This is clearly a spate of shop thefts.

“There are two stores which have been targeted.

“In some instances the defendants were stopped, in others CCTV was used for identification.

“In interview, in a prepared statement by Mr Brown, Miss Askew said she had planned with Mr Brown to steal from supermarkets and, in his case, the bilking from the Shell garage.

“Rochelle Askew said it was to help her children and to help fund a gambling addiction that she has.”

Mr Brown said neither defendant had much in the way of recent convictions.

Lucy Brakewell, mitigating for Brown, said he was having an “awful” time when the offences were committed following the deaths of his grandmother and father.

“He took to drink and drugs to self-soothe,” she added.

Askew, who was not represented, said she suffered from anxiety and depression and things had not been easy since the birth of their third child in January.

She said the gambling addiction had “destroyed” her life.

The couple were each fined £200 and told to pay £34 victim surcharge.

They were ordered to pay £221.62 compensation to Sainsbury and £155.25 to Tesco.

Brown was told to pay £121.32 to Shell.