A prolific thief from Stevenage who continued stealing while on bail has been jailed.

Katrina Watkinson, of Buckthorn Avenue, was subject to a community order during the string of thefts in Stevenage and Hitchin over the past two months – with some of the offences committed while on police and court bail.

The 28-year-old pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft when she appeared before magistrates at Hatfield Remand Court, with bench chairman Sharon Korek sentencing her to a total of 22 weeks behind bars.

The court heard that Watkinson stole goods worth £216 from Hitchin’s Superdrug store on August 9, then stole £820 worth of toothbrushes, razors and shavers from two Hitchin shops on August 17.

On September 22, she stole £31 worth of items from a Stevenage supermarket. Three days later, she stole goods from three other Stevenage stores worth a total of £150.26.

In addition to the jail term, Watkinson must pay a total of £1,035.98 in compensation for the stolen items.