POLICE officers who stopped a car driven by learner driver Sadie Fuller in Ely got more than they bargained for – they found almost £100-worth of stolen items in the vehicle. Fuller had tried to hide the bag of cosmetics and toiletries stashed into a carr

POLICE officers who stopped a car driven by learner driver Sadie Fuller in Ely got more than they bargained for - they found almost £100-worth of stolen items in the vehicle.

Fuller had tried to hide the bag of cosmetics and toiletries stashed into a carrier bag - and inquiries revealed that the goods had been stolen from the Wilkinson store in Ely earlier in the day.

CCTV footage taken in the city centre shop showed Fuller and her partner Luke Badcock in the store, and pictures showed Badcock select various items and put them into his trousers. No attempt was made to pay for the items before the couple left the premises.

Appearing before Ely magistrates on Thursday, 21-year-old Luke Badcock, of Clay Street, Soham, admitted stealing creams, an electric toothbrush and toothbrush heads, worth a total of £97.26.

Fuller, 23, of Station Road, Soham, admitted handling the stolen items for the benefit of Luke Badcock.

Mitigating for the couple, solicitor Nicholas Barnes said the couple had recently become unemployed: "It was clearly an opportunistic theft, due to the lack of means," he said. "They were not receiving benefit at the time, but their benefit has now been sorted out.

"Sadie Fuller was not involved in the theft, but the bag of goods was found in the car, and she was made aware they were stolen items. Her role was limited, and all the items were recovered."

Badcock was given a new community order, including 18-months supervision, 180 hours of unpaid work, and the Think First programme. Fuller was given a 15-month conditional discharge. Both were ordered to pay £50 costs.