All-UK stores ban for lump hammer rampage woman

A woman who ran amok with a lump hammer and smashed up a shop has been banned from every Co-op store in the country.
The Co-op on Weeton Road in Wesham.The Co-op on Weeton Road in Wesham.
The Co-op on Weeton Road in Wesham.

Kelly Norcross hammered bottles of wine, tills and display cabinets to smithereens at the Co-op shop in Wesham, as shoppers fled screaming from the store.

After leaving a trail of destruction, Norcross, who lived across the road from the shop, told police: “I just lost my mind.”

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Norcross, a 34-year-old mother-of-two, of Weeton Road, Wesham, pleaded guilty to affray, causing damage and theft of two bottles of wine. She was sentenced to 12 months supervision with a six-month alcohol rehabilitation course and ordered to pay £60 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Martine Connah, prosecuting, said Norcross walked into the Co-op at around 4.20pm on June 25 and started wielding a lump hammer, smashing tills, cabinets and bottles of wine.

Shop staff, who recognised Norcross as a regular customer, could not believe what they were seeing as customers ran from the store screaming.

Norcross then picked up two undamaged bottles of wine and calmly walked out.

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Malcolm Cartwright, defending, said Norcross was suffering from personal pressures and had started drinking heavily.

In her mind she was attacking the alcohol in the shop, wanting to destroy it. Norcross had nothing against the shop staff and she did not threaten anyone with the hammer.

Mr Cartwright added: “She has now received a letter telling her she is banned from every Co-op shop in the country.”

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