Woman stole more than £5,000 from Poundworld in Chesterfield

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Friday, August 1, how Michelle Booth, 38, of Padley Wood Road, Pilsley, Chesterfield, stole the money from the Chesterfield store in April.

Prosecuting solicitor John Cooper said: “The circumstances are that the defendant was employed by Poundworld in a management capacity.

“She had been in the store on Bank Holiday Monday, April 21, and she was asked by a manager for the safe key and minutes later she gave him the key back and then an alarm went off and she was missing.”

The court heard how £5,220.65 was later discovered missing when staff cashed-up. Mr Cooper said the money has not been recovered.

Booth had previously been off work with depression, according to the court, and she failed to appear at work after the money had been discovered missing.

Mr Cooper said that following enquiries Booth’s sons said they had not seen her but they had received a text saying, ‘I’m gone. All you need to know is I love you’.

Her sons believed that she was with her partner with whom she has had an on-off relationship.

After police traced Booth, she denied going to the safe and taking the money and told officers she had gone on a road trip with her partner and had travelled to Newquay.

She said she decided to walk out on her employment after her partner had asked her to go away with him.

Booth pleaded guilty to stealing the money after the offence on April 21.

Defence solicitor Treve Lander said Booth had been struggling with depression at the time. Magistrates adjourned the case until August 26 for sentencing.