THREE bottles of champagne were stolen by shoplifter Melanie Bonas. Her companion had put the bubbly into a basket – and then Bonas transferred the stolen booze into a bag she was carrying. She took the items to sell, because she was in dire straights,

THREE bottles of champagne were stolen by shoplifter Melanie Bonas.

Her companion had put the bubbly into a basket - and then Bonas transferred the stolen booze into a bag she was carrying.

"She took the items to sell, because she was in dire straights," solicitor Lowri Roberts explained to Ely magistrates.

Bonas, 31, of Partridge Road, Ipswich, admitted stealing �86.97-worth of champagne from the Co-op store in Burwell on August 16. She had also admitted stealing a bottle of washing up liquid from McColls newsagents in Mildenhall on April 26.

"She took the washing up liquid on the spur of the moment because it was needed, and she did not have enough money to pay for it," added Miss Roberts.

Bonas, who has a prescription for the heroin substitute methadone, was given a 12-month supervision order. The court ordered her to pay �86.97 compensation and �30 costs.