Two shoplifters who returned to the same store over a period leading up to Christmas to steal a quantity of razorblades have appeared in court to admit the offences.

Thirty-two-year-old Jason William Mcclarnon and twenty-eight-year-old Sian Batchelor of Pembroke Dock appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with theft from the town’s Boots store.

The pair were jointly charged with stealing items from the store on December 14; whilst Ms Batchelor was charged with a count of theft again on November 26; and Mr. Mcclarnon on three separate occasions on November 25, and December 12 and 13.

Mr. Mcclarnon was also pleaded guilty to producing two cannabis plants at his home address on Pembroke Dock’s Bethel Road.

Prosecutor Linda Baker told the court that the couple were identified from store CCTV footage, which showed them stealing from the aisle that sold razorblades.

She said that Boots could not quantify the value of the amount that had been taken, but were pursuing a civil case to get compensation.

The court heard that Mr. Mcclarnon had previous convictions for theft as well as common assault and drugs possession, whilst Ms Batchelor had one caution for theft dating back to 2006.

Defence solicitor Mike Kelleher told the court that with Christmas approaching at a time when money was short, the couple succumbed to temptation and stole the razorblades to sell on.

He explained that Mr. Mcclarnon had developed a drugs problem over the years and had been due to check-in for a period in rehab before Christmas, but had cancelled this as he did not want to spend the festive period away from his children.

“They were only small cannabis plants cultivated for his own personal use, and he had pulled them out of their pots before police searched his premises, as the defendant did not expect to need the drug when he came out of his planned rehab spell,” he continued.

Magistrates handed the defendant a 12 month community order with a 15 day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement.

Mr. Mcclarnon was also fined £120 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £90 victim surcharge.

Magistrates handed Ms Batchelor a 12 month conditional discharge, and ordered her to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £21 victim surcharge.