Double life drove Blackpool woman to steal

A woman who had been desperate for a baby went off the rails when she discovered her husband was living a double life and had a child with another woman.
Blackpool magistrates' courtBlackpool magistrates' court
Blackpool magistrates' court

Sharon Henry, who had nine pregnancies end in miscarriage, suffered a breakdown and stole from the shoe shop where she was manager, on finding out her husband of 20 years had cheated on her.

Henry, 55, of Blackpool Road, Bispham, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to theft from an employer. She was sentenced to six months jail, suspended for 18 months, ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work for the community and told to pay £85 costs plus £115 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

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Prosecutor Martine Connah said in October last year discrepancies were noticed in the accounts at Pavers shoe shop in Fleetwood’s Freeport.

When questioned, Henry admitted stealing £851 by falsifying cash refunds for returned goods.

She said to her questioner: “I’ll stop you there.

“I have done it. I’m going through a breakdown and a divorce.

“I know I will lose my job.”

Martin Hillson, defending, said his client had repaid all the money she had stolen from the shop.

Henry had been married to her husband for 20 years.

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She had desperately wanted a baby but her nine pregnancies had ended in miscarriage.

The defence added: “In July last year she found out her husband had been in a relationship for some time with another lady and had a child with her.

“After she found out her marriage came to an end and her husband moved out leaving her in quite an amount of debt.

“She says she had a breakdown and was not functioning.

“She used the money she took to pay off part of her debts.”