HERE'S a selection of court cases featured in this week's Barnsley Chronicle:
A BARNSLEY woman who had her benefits cut following a medical examination made up the shortfall by stealing meat from Asda.
June Downing, of Doles Crescent, Royston, was stopped by security staff as she was leaving the store. It was discovered she had 14 packs of steak under her coat. The court was told the meat was recovered.
She was taken to Barnsley Police Station where she tested positive for opiates. Downing, 54, entered a guilty plea to theft at court.
In mitigation her solicitor Alyson Goldsmith said Downing had been working with probation officers to beat her addiction. She lapsed when she took heroin on the anniversary of her mother's death.
The solicitor went on to explain that Downing had her benefits reduced by £46 per fortnight and took the meat intending to sell it. Downing was made subject of a community order and placed on a curfew which means she cannot leave home from 7pm to 7am for the next eight weeks. She was also ordered to pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.
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A WOMAN fraudulently claimed almost £6,000 in benefits when living in Barnsley, a court was told.
Chelsea Beard, 23, who now lives in Darlington, failed to notify authorities of a change of circumstances and dishonestly claimed a total of £5,875.06 in income support and housing benefit.
Barnsley Magistrates' Court was told Beard, who has a five-year-old daughter, failed to inform the Department of Work and Pensions and Barnsley Council that she was living as man and wife with Anthony Fieldsend.
The court was told she is now paying the money back. Beard was made subject of a community order which means she cannot leave her home between the hours of 7pm and 7am for the next eight weeks. She was also ordered to pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.
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A BARNSLEY man who was given a suspended sentence for three shop thefts is today behind bars after he was caught thieving again.
Barnsley Magistrates' Court was told Jamie Pendlebury was captured on CCTV taking meat to the value of £60 from the Co-op store in High Street, Royston.
A police officer who was called to study the footage immediately recognised Pendlebury. At court Pendlebury admitted theft and accepted that he had broken the suspended sentence.
The 22-unemployed drug user of no fixed abode was jailed for a total of 36 weeks. He was also ordered to pay a total of £260 in costs and compensation.
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A BARNSLEY man who appeared in court to face allegations of sexual assault on a woman has been cleared.
Gregory McGrath, of Viewlands, Silkstone Common, was charged with two counts of sexual assault on March 9 and 10 last year.
He first appeared at Sheffield Crown Court in February this year when he entered a not guilty plea to both counts Last week a jury found Mr McGrath not guilty on both counts following a three day trial.
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There's more from the courts in this week's Barnsley Chronicle
